In Urdiales, Cantabria, Silvia López Castro was found fatally wounded inside her home. Two adopted boys, aged 13 and 15 with ties to the family, were implicated after authorities discovered the mother had been stabbed. Investigators say the youths plotted to simulate a kidnapping. They covered the mother with a bag and, while holding her hands, moved her toward the car in the garage to mislead officials about what truly happened.
They’re kidnapping us, grandma.
The two boys then placed their mother in the back seat of the vehicle. While moving toward the parking area, one of them bumped the wall of the garage, leaving a minor mark. A relative, the grandmother, reached out to authorities about twenty minutes before nine on the night of February 7 after someone inside had called to report intruders and a missing person. Communication with the outside world ceased at that moment.
From records of the Cantabrian Civil Guard, officers arrived with the expectation of solving a kidnapping, only to find the house deserted and the body left in the car. The younger sibling and the father, who works night shifts at a Basque firm, faced a shared uncertainty as the investigation unfolded.
No money or cell phone
Early on the following morning, just after two o’clock, law enforcement located the youths at Cotolino Park near the cliffs. They had no money and no mobile phones, and they offered no escape route. Under current Spanish law, the 13-year-old cannot be charged as an offender. After assessment, he was placed in a child welfare facility. The 15-year-old brother was referred to the Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office, which requested a six month stay in a closed center on charges including murder. Authorities are reviewing the full sequence of events and the timeline leading to the incident.
Investigators are reconstructing the sequence that set off the crime. There have been no previous reports of violence involving Silvia López Castro or her husband, and social services had not been involved in the matter prior to these events. The deceased has been described as a devout, strict mother who emphasized discipline among her children. Early statements point to prior disciplinary measures that may have influenced the youths, though details remain under review. The initial theory suggests a family argument linked to schooling and homework as a possible catalyst for the violence. At the moment of the attack, the mother reportedly bore multiple bruises in addition to the neck wound observed by investigators.
As the case evolves, authorities emphasize the complexity of the situation given the youths’ ages and the dynamics inside the home. Public interest and local authorities await further findings to determine accountability and the measures needed to support the family and prevent such tragedies in the future. The investigation remains active as law enforcement, prosecutors, and child welfare agencies coordinate to uncover every detail of what transpired in the Cantabria home. Regional journalists and investigative programs are following the case closely, noting the lack of prior violent incidents in the household and highlighting how family dynamics can shape outcomes. Attribution for the information comes from the Cantabrian Civil Guard and ongoing coverage by regional investigative channels, which have provided context to the evolving case.