Spanish police arrest three in illegal baby adoption scheme

Spanish National Police have arrested three individuals following an investigation into the illegal adoption of a six-month-old baby. The arrests, which took place in Cartagena, include the biological parents and an intermediary who facilitated the transfer of the infant to a couple from Málaga.

The investigation revealed that the biological parents, residents of Cartagena, handed the child over to the Málaga couple in Alicante. The receiving couple claimed they took the child after being told the biological mother suffered from mental health issues and had threatened to abandon the infant. The couple also reported that the baby showed signs of malnutrition and physical abuse at the time of the handover.

After a month of caring for the child, the Málaga couple reported the situation to social services in Campanillas. Following this, the biological parents filed a false police report in Cartagena, claiming the baby had been kidnapped by hooded individuals. The case was investigated jointly by police units in Málaga and Cartagena.