Simon Hunter
A MAN was arrested this weekend in the city of Logroño after allegedly stabbing his wife to death and then trying to drown his three children.
The 44-year-old man, who has Syrian nationality, confessed the killing of his 34-year-old wife to the National Police, according to Spanish news reports.
The attempt to kill his children, however, was not confirmed by the authorities due to the investigation being sealed, but was reported by local media based on witness reports.
People who saw the incident said that the suspect was arrested on a bridge in the city, when he was about to throw the youngsters into the River Ebro.
Local media reported that the alarm was raised when one of the children managed to escape his father and inform a passerby what was happening, before the suspect could throw the three of them into the water.
The three children were reported to be in good health on Saturday after the incident, and were under the care of the government of La Rioja region, which is where Logroño is located.
The victim was also of Syrian origin, and the couple had been living in Logroño for eight years. The suspect had no previous criminal record for domestic violence.
According to Equality Ministry figures cited by online daily El Confidencial, a total of 25 women have died at the hands of their partners or former partners in Spain this year so far. There have been a total of 1,209 such deaths since records began in 2003.
Victims of domestic violence in Spain can get help by calling 016, emailing 016-online@igualdad.gob.es, or sending a WhatsApp to the following number: +34 600 000 016. In cases of emergency, victims can call the 112 emergency line, the National Police on 091 or the Civil Guard on 062.
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