A couple from the UK has been arrested for allegedly leaving their three young children alone in a hotel in Costa del Sol while they went out partying. The youngest child, a six-month-old baby, reportedly tested positive for cocaine, leading to the arrest of the parents.
The children, aged four, two, and six months, have been placed under temporary care by social services. Sources involved in the investigation described the situation as concerning, noting that the hotel room where the children were found was in disarray, with the eldest child taking care of the younger siblings.
The regional government of Junta de Andalucia has assumed temporary custody of the children, who have been taken to Malaga’s Materno Infantil Hospital for evaluation. The hotel’s name in Benalmadena has not been disclosed.
According to a spokesperson for Spain’s National Police, a 41-year-old British man and a 28-year-old woman have been detained on suspicion of child abandonment. The National Police’s family and women assistance unit (UFAM) and the social services unit of Junta de Andalucia are involved in the case.
The couple was apprehended early Thursday morning in a large hotel complex on the Costa del Sol. They are expected to remain in police custody overnight before appearing in court for an initial hearing before a judge. Police have not confirmed reports about the baby testing positive for cocaine.
