At approximately 5:00 in the morning on a Sunday, October 23, officers from the Siero Local Police Station, part of the Local Citizens’ Security Brigade, were patrolling Antonio Machado Street in Lugones, Asturias. Their vigilance led to the rescue of two young children, aged four and six, who appeared to have been left alone in a vehicle by the adults responsible for their care. The scene unfolded when concerned residents alerted authorities after seeing one child wandering near a vehicle on public roads and noticing a second minor inside the car. The bitter cold of early dawn heightened the risk to these small lives, who were dressed inadequately for the chill and exposed to the elements.
National police officers promptly responded, placing the two children inside the patrol car where the heater could warm them and reduce the danger posed by hypothermia. The officers arranged warm clothing around the children and kept them in a controlled, safe environment until further steps could be taken. The immediate priority was to stabilize the minors and ensure their comfort as the officers began the process of identifying the vehicle’s owner and understanding the circumstances that led to this situation.
After conducting the initial welfare checks, officers traced the vehicle to a single drinking establishment that was open at that early hour. There, they located the person responsible for the vehicle, described as a mother who appeared to be intoxicated and at work at that location. The woman, accompanied by a partner who refused to disclose her identity, resisted police action, displaying a defiant attitude and denying the facts as presented by the officers. The confrontation underscored the potential severity of the lapse in custody and supervision that occurred during the early hours of the morning.
Preliminary information suggested that the children may have been brought from El Entrego by their mother to spend the night at a friend’s residence, potentially in exchange for some form of economic benefit. In the moments that followed, authorities learned that the couple who were responsible for the children had left them unattended in a vehicle with the windows partly open while they went inside for refreshments. This pattern of neglect raised serious concerns about the safety and well-being of the minors.
The two adults were detained and faced charges that included resistance and disobedience, along with violations related to the temporary custody of minors. As the case proceeded, a judge would determine their procedural status. Meanwhile, the children were taken to a secure police facility where they could be monitored and cared for in a controlled environment until their mother could be located and brought to the scene.
Once the immediate safety concerns were addressed, the juveniles received appropriate care, including access to food and warm drinks, and were placed in an air-conditioned space to ensure their comfort. The case was promptly reported to the Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office, which ordered the children to be handed over to their mother once the appropriate protective arrangements were confirmed. The police emphasized that the priority remained the safety and well-being of the minors while pursuing accountability for the adults responsible for placing them at risk.
In the lead-up to any potential legal consequences, the Local Brigade of the Judicial Police from the Siero Local Police Station issued a directive to address the incident, ensuring that all parties involved would be evaluated for liability in accordance with the law. The overarching aim was to safeguard the welfare of the children and to reaffirm the community’s commitment to responsible guardianship and timely intervention in situations that threaten the safety of minors.