Adrián Romero returned home to Barcelona after a week away on a business trip to Tokyo. He was excited to see his daughter, Valentina, whom he hadn’t seen in all that time. However, upon arriving, he noticed something strange. His ex-wife, Patricia, who had had custody of Valentina that week, was rushing out of the house, looking nervous and without looking at Adrián. Normally, Patricia would stay and tell him how the week had gone with their daughter, but today she just ran to her car without even looking at him.
Intrigued, Adrián went upstairs to his daughter’s room. There he found her, sitting on the edge of her bed, wearing a blouse that was much too big for her, and in an odd posture that sent a shiver down his spine. Valentina was only seven years old, but at that moment, she seemed much more fragile than her age. The girl didn’t move with the agility Adrián expected; instead, she shrank back every time she tried to take a step, as if something were causing her deep pain.
“Valentina, my love, come here and give me a hug,” said Adrian, but when he tried to hug her, his daughter screamed in pain.
“Oh, Dad, not so hard, please, you’re hurting me,” she said between sobs.
Adrián froze, staring at his daughter with growing concern. She told him her back hurt and that she hadn’t been able to sleep well for the past few days. But what worried Adrián most wasn’t just his daughter’s physical pain, but the fearful expression on her face when he asked her about the source of her pain. Valentina, with tears in her eyes, confessed that her mother had told her that if she told her father what had happened, something worse would occur.
It was then that the little girl, with a trembling sigh, began to recount what had really happened. On Tuesday, when her mother ordered her to eat broccoli, a food Valentina couldn’t stand, she refused. Seeing her daughter’s refusal, Patricia sent her to her room without dinner. Valentina went upstairs crying from hunger, and later, her mother came upstairs to scold her, calling her spoiled. At that moment, her mother pushed her against the wall, and her back hit the closet doorknob. The pain was unbearable for Valentina, who didn’t stop crying. However, Patricia showed no remorse, but instead told her not to exaggerate and that it wasn’t so serious.
The next day, a bruise began to form on her back, but instead of taking her to a doctor, Patricia took her to a pharmacy, where they told her she only needed bruise cream. Patricia wrapped her back in tight bandages, and according to Valentina, those bandages weren’t changed for several days.
Upon hearing his daughter’s story, Adrián felt an indescribable rage. The gravity of the situation hit him hard. Not only had his daughter been the victim of an accident, but his ex-wife had allowed the wound to become infected by not giving her the medical attention she needed.
“Valentina, we’re going to the hospital right now,” Adrián said firmly, not allowing his daughter to protest.
Despite Valentina’s pleas, who feared the consequences of telling her father what had happened, Adrián took her to Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, the best pediatric hospital in Barcelona. On the way there, Valentina explained that she had had a fever for the past few days, but her mother had said it was normal due to the “healing process.” When they arrived at the hospital, Adrián asked to see a doctor immediately. The situation was serious.
The doctor who examined Valentina, seeing the dirty and poorly applied bandages, quickly recognized the severity of her injuries. The bruise on her back was so severe that it indicated considerable damage, and worse, there were signs of infection. The doctor noted that the bandages had not only worsened the wound but had also left her without proper medical treatment for several days.
Adrian’s fury wasn’t directed solely at Patricia’s negligence, but also at the way his daughter had been treated by her mother. Despite the severity of the injury, Patricia had concealed everything, taking her to the pharmacy and treating her as if consulting a professional wasn’t necessary.
After receiving treatment, Adrián, in an act of desperation and fury, called 911 to report what had happened. The police arrived quickly at the hospital, and Adrián’s statement, along with the medical evidence, was enough for Patricia to be investigated for child neglect.
Over the following days, Valentina’s custody was temporarily transferred to Adrián, and the case went to an emergency hearing. The evidence was compelling, and the judge determined that Patricia had acted negligently by failing to provide her daughter with adequate medical care. Permanent custody of Valentina was granted to Adrián.
With her father’s unconditional love and support, Valentina began to heal both physically and emotionally. She understood that, at that moment, her father was the only one who believed her and protected her from all harm. Adrián, for his part, promised that he would always be there for his daughter, to protect her and give her the love she needed.
And so, little Valentina, with the support of her father, was finally able to feel safe and loved, understanding that when a child asks for help, they must be heard and protected, always.
