Spain’s first stolen baby trial begins

By Alyssa McMurtry

OVIEDO, Spain (AA) - The trial of an 85-year-old doctor, who allegedly stole a baby nearly 50 years ago, began on Tuesday in Madrid, Spain.

Eduardo Vela is the first person to go on trial for an allegedly widespread practice during the rule of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco.

Children born out of wedlock, or given birth to by poor or politically marginalized mothers were given or sold to couples -- many of whom were Catholic or had links with the regime.

In most of the situations, the women who gave birth were told their babies had died, according to investigations and campaigners.

Although he denies any wrongdoing, Vela faces a possible 11 years in prison for illegal detention, certifying a false birth and falsifying documents. He is accused of abducting Ines Madrigal in 1969 and giving her to a couple that could not have children.

“This is not just my case… the whole world knows that in this country children were stolen,” Madrigal, 49, told reporters outside of the court. Madrigal said she grew up believing she was adopted until her mother told her the full story.

Although the robberies began during the Franco dictatorship, a Spanish investigating judge estimates that 30,960 babies were stolen from mothers between the Spanish civil war until the 1990s.

Campaigners say thousands of claims similar to Madrigal’s have been brought forward by others who believe they were stolen at birth, but they have all been dismissed because of lack of evidence, the death of key witnesses or because the statute of limitations passed.

Around 100 protesters gathered outside the courtroom looking for information related to their own cases and demanding justice.