Civil Guard Robot
A potent pesticide known as aluminum phosphide, used to deter pests, may be linked to a tragedy in a small town near Segovia. Civil Guard investigators arrived in Carbonero de Ahusín to clarify the events that left a 56-year-old man and his 16-year-old son poisoned, with the father’s condition serious at a regional hospital.
Officials reported a strong warning sign of a biological risk at the Llorente family residence, which sits beside a grain mill. The area had recently been fumigated by a specialist company due to the substance’s high toxicity, according to people close to the investigation.
Experts are working to determine how the family could have encountered this material. The barn where grain is stored had been sealed days after treatment, and investigators noted that the poisonous gas could have circulated through a nearby vent into the adjacent house.
Phosphides deter pests but pose extreme danger to humans and animals when moisture triggers the release of phosphine gas. Inhalation or skin contact can cause rapid and severe health effects.
Throughout the morning, Civil Guard personnel conducted a wide-ranging operation in the area. A remote-controlled robot was deployed to enter both the barn and the residence to assess interior toxicity levels. Later, Madrid-based specialists wore protective CBRN suits to collect samples inside the premises, safeguarding themselves from possible chemical and biological hazards, according to official accounts.
The town learned the next day of the deaths of Küçük and a family member, events that unsettled this community of 244 residents. The family, involved in agriculture and animal husbandry and known for owning several ships, had deep ties to the local economy and everyday life in the village.
A resident recalled that the elder family member, aged 58, had faced a grim prognosis at first but survived after initial alarms. The family includes two daughters, one living in Madrid and another in the United States, underscoring connections beyond the village itself.
The case is presently under review by the Court of First Instance and Order No. 1 of Santa María la Real de Nieva (Segovia). Autopsy results are expected to help establish the cause of death and guide the legal process ahead, according to officials.
Public officials emphasize that information remains limited as the inquiry proceeds. A government representative noted that only preliminary findings are available at this stage. Local authorities, including the municipality’s mayor, have chosen to withhold formal statements but have expressed solidarity with the affected relatives, reflecting a community in careful mourning while the investigation continues.