Podcast Summary: "La terrible historia de los maltratos a menores en la 'casa de los horrores' de Colmenar Viejo"

Podcast: Más de uno
Host: Onda Cero (Carlos Alsina)
Date: December 15, 2025

Overview of the Episode

In this intense and unsettling episode, the Territorio negro segment of Más de uno delves into the harrowing case of prolonged child abuse uncovered in Colmenar Viejo, Madrid—a scandal widely known in the press as "la casa de los horrores." The hosts and expert guests discuss the details of the case, challenge common misconceptions about child abuse, and analyze the societal, legal, and familial dynamics that allowed the violence to go undetected for years.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Breaking the Myths About Child Abuse

• Abuse is not limited to outsiders or low-income families:
  • Most abusers are not strangers but members of the close family circle.

    "La mayoría de las veces los maltratadores y los abusadores y los agresores sexuales están en las familias o en los entornos más cercanos." (Host, 01:13)

  • Violence against children cuts across all socioeconomic classes. In high-income families, violence is more easily hidden.

    "En la clase alta, los autores tienen medios para que esa violencia quede invisibilizada." (Expert/Analyst, 01:46)

2. Details of the Colmenar Viejo Case

• Family Background:
  • Prestigious, well-educated parents (father: a respected doctor; mother: a nurse). Family seen as “bien” or upper middle-class, defying the stereotype of abuse in “dysfunctional” homes.
  • Eight children (5 girls, 3 boys), abused over at least a decade.
• How Abuse Came to Light:
  • The courage of a 14-year-old daughter, who reported the violence after a severe beating.

    "[...] contó todo lo que había ocurrido en el instituto, después fue al juzgado y lo denunció y así abrió la puerta que la Guardia Civil entrase en esa casa y descubriese todo el horror." (Host, 03:33)

• Nature and Extent of the Abuse:
  • Punishments for trivial reasons: having books, watching Pokémon, poor table manners, minor household accidents.
  • Punishments included physical beatings with household items (kitchen roller, ladle, corkscrew, etc.), restriction from school to hide injuries, and food deprivation.

    "Les golpearon con un cucharón, con el rodillo de cocina, con una maza, con un sacacorchos en la frente, con un vaso en la cara, con el mango de un cuchillo." (Expert/Analyst, 05:03)

  • Sexual abuse described as designed to associate sex with pain and shame, not pleasure.

    "La finalidad de esas agresiones a las hijas era hacer que las dos chicas [...] odiaran el sexo para el resto de su vida." (Expert/Analyst, 06:14)

3. Religious Fundamentalism & Psychological Control

• The parents were extremely religious and instituted severe prohibitions (no TV, no books, no contact with boys or friends).

  "Súper religiosos. El padre repetía a sus hijos varones que no servían para nada [...] y a las chicas les decía que solo servirían para ser prostitutas." (Host, 05:56)

• Sexual abuse included forced gynecological “examinations” and exposure to pornography with the purpose of reinforcing sexual disgust.

  "Las obligó a ver vídeos pornográficos durante seis meses, hasta febrero del año 2023." (Host, 07:05) "La cosa fue empeorando porque acabó pidiéndoles que hicieran con él lo que se veía en las películas." (Host, 07:23)

4. Institutional & Societal Failures

• Lack of detection by neighbors, family, or schools:
  • Neighbors reportedly noticed nothing, and the children were adept at hiding injuries due to parental threats and manipulation.
  • Minimal intervention from school and healthcare; when injuries were noticed, explanations were fabricated by parents.

    "El niño de 6 años robaba bocadillos porque otro castigo del padre era dejarle sin comer." (Expert/Analyst, 07:47) "En 2018, uno de los niños llegó con heridas muy graves al colegio, pero acordaron los padres y el niño decir que se había caído de un columpio." (Expert/Analyst, 08:25)

5. Legal Consequences & Current Status

• Charges and Sentencing Demands:
  • The Comunidad de Madrid is requesting 266 years in prison for the father and 185 years for the mother.
  • The trial is set for next year.
  • Children are now in state protective custody (centros tutelados).

    "La Comunidad de Madrid pide 266 años de cárcel para el padre [...] y 185 para la madre." (Expert/Analyst, 04:10)

• Ongoing Risks:
  • Both parents are currently free and awaiting trial, living together after the mother asked for her protection order to be revoked.

    "Están en libertad [...] la madre ha pedido que se revoque y ahora están los dos juntos y siguen juntos esperando el juicio." (Expert/Analyst, 08:38)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On breaking stereotypes:

  "La violencia contra los niños está en todas las clases sociales por igual." (Expert/Analyst, 01:46)

• On the courage of a survivor:

  "[...] decidió que iba a contar lo que estaba viviendo en su casa [...] fue ella quien la denunció." (Host/Journalist, 03:30-03:33)

• On legal consequences:

  "La Comunidad de Madrid pide 266 años de cárcel para el padre [...] y 185 años para la madre." (Expert/Analyst, 04:10)

• On the methodical hiding of abuse:

  "Como era médico, curaba las heridas más leves a sus hijos en casa o no les dejaba ir al colegio hasta que desaparecieran." (Expert/Analyst, 07:47)

• On sexual abuse as punitive:

  "La finalidad de esas agresiones a las hijas era hacer que las dos chicas [...] odiaran el sexo para el resto de su vida." (Expert/Analyst, 06:14)

• On societal blind spots:

  "¿Y los vecinos? Ni idea. Ni Dios, ni vecinos, ni familia que fuera a la casa." (Co-host, 07:40)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:43]–[01:46]: Breaking myths about the nature and perpetrators of child abuse.
• [02:18]–[03:33]: Details on how the case came to light and description of the family.
• [04:10]–[05:03]: Legal consequences, children’s testimonies, and forms of punishment.
• [05:33]–[07:05]: Religious rigor, psychological control, and escalation of sexual abuse.
• [07:40]–[08:04]: Institutional failures and parents' skill at hiding evidence.
• [08:25]–[08:38]: Previous legal cases and current legal status of the parents.

Tone and Style Capture

The episode is stark, at times incredulous, and deeply somber, with hosts and experts repeatedly reflecting on the shock, the invisible suffering, and the complexity of preventing such tragedies. They dismantle comfortable narratives about where and among whom abuse occurs, using this “terrible” case to encourage vigilance and a reconsideration of how society approaches child welfare.

Summary prepared to provide an accessible, detailed understanding of the broadcast for those who have not listened.