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Step-Mum Pictured Crying After Boy's Disappearance 'Admits Killing' Him

Step-Mum Pictured Crying After Boy's Disappearance 'Admits Killing' Him

The little boy's disappearance sparked a huge search

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

A woman has confessed to killing her partner's eight-year-old son in Spain, according to local reports.

Ana Julia Quezada, 43, had appeared on TV crying and comforting her devastated boyfriend as part of an appeal to find Gabriel Cruz shortly before telling cops she had killed him.

She was arrested on Sunday after the child's body was found in the car she was driving, the BBC reports.

She initially denied any involvement in his death, but has since 'admitted to being the perpetrator', saying she hit him hard on the head after 'a discussion'.

According to local media, she told investigators she hit the boy with the blunt part of an axe, knocking him unconscious, before panicking and strangling him with her hands.

An autopsy reportedly showed that Gabriel had been strangled on the same day he was reported missing.

EPA

His disappearance from the village of Las Hortichuelas in south-east Spain late last month resulted in a huge search with hundreds of volunteers out looking for the boy.

Gabriel's parents Patricia Ramirez and Angel Cruz, who are separated, had both given heart-breaking interviews appealing for anyone with any information to come forward, following the young boy's disappearance after he left his grandmother's home to play.

Quezada had also appeared alongside her partner, wearing a t-shirt with a photo of Gabriel on it, often crying when speaking to reporters.

At the boy's funeral on Tuesday a huge crowd gathered to pay their respects, with people shouting 'we are all Gabriel'.

Quezada has received an outpouring of hatred, with one video showing her being mobbed by people as police attempted to escort her out of a building.

An online petition asking Quezada birth's country the Dominican Republic to extradite her so she will not have 'the comfort of a Spanish jail' has gained over 330,000 signatures.

Another demanding that Quezada faces life in prison has been signed by over 270,000 people.

Gabriel's mother Patricia has called for calm, saying she had suspected Quezada's involvement but that justice must now be allowed to take its course. She also denounced messages of hatred aimed at Quezada.

Addressing the media, dad Angel thanked people for all the support the family has received in the past few weeks, saying: "You gave us strength to search for Gabriel."

Source: BBC; Metro; BBC

Featured Image Credit: EPA

Topics: World News, News, Spain