National
Married couple detained in the Mari Luz Cortés case
By h.b.
Mar 26, 2008 - 12:18 PM

We have more details on what now appears to be the arrest of a married couple in connection with the disappearance and death of the 5 year old girl from Huelva in Spain, Marí Luz Cortés. Known as the Spanish Madeleine in the British press, she vanished when going to buy some crisps on the previous January 13 in the Torrejón district of Huelva. Her body finally appeared floating in the Ria de Huelva on March 7.

The Government Sub-delegation offices in Huelva have confirmed that two arrests were made yesterday, and that a married couple are now helping them with their enquiries. It’s reported that those arrested are local to the Torrejón area of Huelva, although the arrests actually took place in Cuenca. The man had been detained before and is reported to have a previous record as a pedophile.

A police spokesman said ‘The arrests were made on a judicial order and form part of the investigation, and at the moment they are answering questions to confirm some matters. In no way can we affirm that they are the killers, although we do not rule out that their statements will give clues in the case’.

Reporting restrictions remain in force in the case, but the child’s father, Juan José Cortés, told the Huelva Infomación newspaper that the man is called Santiago, lives locally and has a criminal record for child and sexual abuse. He said that the family had suspected him from the very first moment in the case.

‘We know that it is him, we are sure, and this is no surprise to me’, said the father this morning.

The paper reports that this man had been arrested in Granada just a few days after Mari Luz vanished and was released on a lack of any evidence.