Friday 7 March 2008

Mari Luz Cortès: a very sad ending to her story



Spanish television channels have confirmed that a body found in the sea near Huelva is that of Mari Luz, the five year-old girl who went missing in Huelva on January 13th. A dock worker found her body at just after 4pm today.

# Diario de Sevilla

The little girl was found wearing the same clothes as on the day she disappeared. It is being reported that her skull had been fractured, with what looked like a heavy blow.

"Typically Spanish" news

"She disappeared almost two months ago and her body was found on Friday
Five year old Mari Luz, missing from Huelva since she left her home in the El Torrejón area of the city on 13th January for a short trip to the local sweets kiosk, has been found dead.

El Mundo said her body was found on Friday evening in Huelva province in the Torrearenilla marshland, in a river close to the Cepsa refinery installations, by an employee of the petroleum company. It’s understood that Mari Luz’s body was found with the clothes she was wearing when she disappeared , and that her body was badly decomposed.

There was news just last week that the family of the five year old had received a ransom demand for two million euros, via an anonymous caller who demanded the money to release the child.
While it was thought to be a hoax, the family said they were prepared to negotiate in the case of serious calls. Mari Luz’s uncle, Diego Cortés, said at the time that the family would personally go to rescue his niece if necessary, but said they would only be able to raise around 300,000 €.

El Mundo said Mari Luz’s parents, Juan José Cortés and Irene Suárez, had arrived at the scene to identify their daughter’s body, and that Juan José López Garzón, the central government delegate for Andalucía, was also en route to the site where Mari Luz’s body was found."


What sad news for Mari Luz's family. How tragic to lose a child in this way. My thoughts are with the Cortès family at this time.


Enfants Kidnappés: The British police in Portugal

Enfants Kidnappés 7th March

"La police britannique au Portugal.

"Un inspecteur de la police britannique est allé, cette semaine, au Portugal afin de déterminer les modalités pour les nouveaux interrogatoires demandés dans les lettres rogatoires. Le "superintendant" Stuart Prior est venu au Portugal et est rentré aux Royaumes-Unis hier. La date précise à laquelle aura lieu les interrogatoires n'a pas encore été déterminée. C'est ainsi que l'on ne sait pas encore quand les détectives portugais pourront se rendre en Angleterre afin de participer aux interrogatoires."

A British police inspector went to Portugal this week in order to determine the methods for the new interrogations requested in the rogatory letters. Superintendent Stuart Prior came to Portugal and returned to the United Kingdom yesterday. The precise date when the interrogations will take place has not yet been determined. Thus, it is not known when the Portuguese detectives can go to England to take part in the interrogations.

"
Metodo3 reste engagée.

"Selon la presse britannique, l'agence de détectives, Metodo3, reste "au service des parents". En effet et contre toute attente, les responsable du fonds pour trouver Madeleine ont voté le maintien de Metodo3 comme agence de détective et prolonge ainsi leur contrat."

Metodo3 contract extended

According to the British press, the detective agency Metodo3 remains, "in the service of the parents." In fact, the trustees of the Find Madeleine Fund voted to maintain Metodo3 as a detective agency and thus extend their contract.