Alicante horror: Mother and daughter found dead as father arrested

The Guardia Civil is investigating the deaths of a 55-year-old woman and her adult daughter after they were found dead at a property in the El Fenollar area of Alicante, in what authorities are treating as a possible case of gender-based violence.

Emergency services were called to the family home at around 7.40pm on Thursday after another daughter contacted Spain’s 112 emergency service to raise the alarm. When officers arrived, they discovered the two women dead inside the property. The woman’s husband, believed to be the victims’ father, and the couple’s surviving daughter were both found suffering from stab wounds and were taken to hospital.

The man has since been arrested by the Guardia Civil while receiving medical treatment, and detectives have launched a full investigation into what happened.

Investigation focused on possible gender violence

Investigators believe the father was responsible for the deaths of both his wife and one of his daughters, although the investigation remains ongoing and the exact sequence of events has not yet been officially established.

Authorities are treating the case as a possible instance of gender-based violence, a classification that can include the killing of children during attacks directed at their mother. However, officials stress that enquiries are still at an early stage and the circumstances continue to be examined.

The surviving daughter, who alerted the emergency services, remains in hospital after suffering knife injuries. Police have not released details about her condition or whether she was attacked while attempting to intervene.

No previous VioGén record

One of the most striking aspects of the case is that there were no recorded complaints or active protection measures involving the couple.

According to the Guardia Civil, the family did not appear on Spain’s VioGén system, the national database used to monitor and protect victims of gender violence. While many cases of domestic abuse are known to authorities before a serious incident occurs, officials have confirmed that no previous record existed in this case.

The victims and the suspected attacker are all Spanish nationals. Authorities have identified the deceased mother as being born in 1971, while her daughter was born in 2005. The suspected attacker was born in 1973.

Community left in shock

The killings have sent shockwaves through the Alicante area, particularly in the quiet residential district of El Fenollar, close to San Vicente del Raspeig, where such violent incidents are rare.

Forensic specialists spent several hours examining the property while Guardia Civil officers gathered evidence and interviewed potential witnesses. The investigation is expected to include forensic analysis, witness statements and interviews with the surviving daughter once her condition allows.

If officially confirmed as a case of gender-based violence, the deaths will add to Spain’s growing toll of women killed in alleged domestic violence incidents this year, with the country continuing to invest heavily in prevention, victim support and specialist policing despite the persistence of such crimes.