An incident that shocks a community
The Madrid town of Villanueva de la Cañada is engulfed in sorrow following the tragic murder of David, an 11-year-old boy, who was attacked in the restrooms of the La Despernada Cultural Centre. This horrific crime occurred after the minor left an English class, leaving his family and friends devastated.
The attacker, identified as Julio, a Romanian young man aged between 19 and 23, stabbed the boy multiple times before fleeing the scene. Despite initial efforts to stabilise David by medical services, he died hours later in hospital. An off-duty officer was the one who alerted the authorities about the minor's critical condition.
Julio has a autism spectrum disorder, which has led experts to reflect on the relationship between this condition and violent behaviours. Javier Urra, a psychologist and former Child Advocate, emphasises that autism should not be automatically associated with aggressive acts. However, he notes that the attack appears to have been premeditated, suggesting a possible obsession with David.
The boy's mother has stated that Julio was obsessed with her son. Despite the significant age difference between them, she had previously tried to distance the young man from the boy through direct conversations. According to her testimony, Julio frequented nearby parks where he interacted with younger children.
Although no serious assaults had been reported previously, testimonies indicate that Julio had exhibited troubling behaviours towards other minors. It is mentioned that he had shown knives to children and intimidated others with violent gestures such as 'nuggets'. These incidents had led to interventions by concerned family members.
Shortly after the attack, witnesses claimed to have seen the attacker boarding a bus with no clear destination. His home is located relatively close to the cultural centre where the crime occurred. He was known in the area for participating in community activities such as Sunday masses and games in parks.
The Town Hall has declared an official day of mourning, during which flags will fly at half-mast on all municipal buildings. Mayor Luis Partida expressed his deep sorrow over the incident and assured that all resources are available to support the affected family and the school environment of the deceased minor.
Despite the tragic outcome, Partida highlighted the work done by medical services during the emergency: “We hope this boy is with the angels in heaven,” he stated, visibly affected before a community shaken by this unprecedented tragedy.
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