Four people have been detained in connection with the death of Mari Luz Cortes, the five year old girl who disappeared in Huelva after setting off to buy some sweets at a local kiosk.
The investigation into the death of little Mari Luz Cortes has led to the detention of 52 year old Santiago del Valle Garcia, his wife, Isabel Garcia, and his two brothers. Santiago del Valle and his wife were neighbours of the Cortez family and have been under suspicion since early on in the investigation.
Santiago del Valle has apparently confessed to taping the mouth of Mari Luz and being present when she died, but is maintaining that the actual death was ‘accidental’. His wife and brothers are charged with harbouring him. He was detained and questioned during the early stages of the police investigation but was released through lack of evidence. His detention today comes as a result of new evidence arising from the autopsy carried out on Mari Luz Cortes.
The accused has several convictions for paedophilia and sexual abuse, one of the victims being his own daughter. In 2002, he was convicted of sexual abuse against a five year old girl, a crime he committed in 1999 when he was a gymnastics teacher. He served two years in prison and was ordered to pay a sizeable sum in compensation to the family of his victim.