Portugal had been on the alert for several days: little Valentina, 9, had disappeared since last Thursday and was wanted by the Portuguese police. The latter has just reported that the child who disappeared at Peniche was found dead, and that two suspects were arrested, concerning the father and the stepmother. The body was found under a tree, thanks to the indications of the father who allegedly confessed to his murder. Lisbob, the expatriate assistant to Portugal, tells you all about this terrible news and the discovery of Valentina's body.
9-year-old Valentina's body found lifeless in Peniche: father admits murder
The Portuguese Judicial Police said in a statement that two people suspected of being involved in the death of the child have been arrested: It is said to be the father and stepmother of Valentina. It was the father who allegedly confessed to her murder and who led the police to the places where they left the little girl.
"For the development of the investigation, close coordination with the Republican National Guard and the district civil protection was essential and the body of the victim was found dead."
The body of Valentina, the missing girl in the Peniche region, was found dead on Sunday under branches of a eucalyptus tree. The cause of death is asphyxiation, but only an autopsy can provide certainty. She will be carried out in the coming days to determine exactly the cause of death and whether she has suffered any other facts.
The 9-year-old boy had been missing since Thursday morning. The searches were carried out by the Leiria territorial command of the Republican National Guard in the parish of Atouguia da Baleia, where the girl's family resides.
The judicial police, who were already investigating the case, said earlier that in 2018 the child had disappeared from another house where the family resided in the municipality, and was then found by the police.
