Mum held as children found dead in Spain
Police said the children, a one-year-old boy and five-year-old girl were discovered in a room at the Hotel Miramar in the coastal town of Lloret de Mar on the Costa Brava yesterday afternoon.
There were no traces of violence on the children’s bodies and police are still investigating the cause of their death, public radio station RNE reported.
Spanish news channel CNN+ said the woman, in her 30s, asked staff at the hotel reception to call an ambulance and police.
A Girona Police spokesman said: “At around 3.53pm, the mossos de la comissaria de Blanes (local police) received a note from the local police of Lloret de Mar that the bodies of two minors had been found at a hotel.
“When the officers arrived at the scene they found two children inside a room at a hotel.”
The spokeswoman said: “There was no blood, cuts, bullet wounds or other signs of external injury. Girona Police are investigating the death of the two children.
“The police have detained the mother of the minors to find out what happened.”
Newspaper El Mundo said on its website the woman had phoned police but the children could not be saved.
A police spokesman said: “The mother will be held in police custody overnight and officers will continue to question her tomorrow.”
British embassy staff said they were trying to establish whether the family was on holiday in Spain or living in the country.
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said consular staff were in contact with the police.
She said: “We can confirm that we will be providing consular assistance to a British national.”
A woman who answered the phone at the hotel said she could not comment.
Lloret de Mar is a popular destination for British holidaymakers. While the nightlife attracts an 18 to 30s crowd, the resort is also popular with families.
The four-star hotel is on the sea front in the former fishing village, near a large number of bars and restaurants.
The family-friendly beach hotel, which has 54 rooms, is around 75km from Barcelona near the Cap de Creus Natural Park and a water park.
On travel websites it is said to offer “all comforts and a high quality service to anyone looking for a beach holiday in Costa Brava”.
