Family Tragedy in Algés: Testimony of the 15-Year-Old Boy and What Happened Behind Closed Doors

The news coming from the Algés neighborhood of Oeiras is truly chilling. The story behind the terrible incident that resulted in a 15-year-old boy taking his mother's life on Wednesday is slowly being revealed. The reason given by the child in his first statement was that he "wanted to protect his younger sister from his mother's ill-treatment."

He Took Care of His Brother for 21 Hours

According to the details shared by Correio da Manhã, the fight at home is due to this very issue; In other words, it broke out when the child became angry at his mother's harsh behavior towards his younger sibling.

What happened after the incident makes the situation even more tragic. While his mother was lying motionless on the floor, the child took his little brother, who was not even aware of what was happening, washed him and put him to bed. After having breakfast and lunch, he called the police only after 21 hours.

Background History of Domestic Violence

The stories of those who know the family of Brazilian origin show that there has been long-standing tension in the house. The children's father has been in prison for about a year for domestic violence. Allegedly, the 15-year-old boy never forgave his mother for the complaint that caused his father to go to prison, and this anger constantly accumulated in the house.

The child is currently in police custody; The Family and Children's Court will decide on the situation of the younger sister, who is unaware of the incident.

How Will the Legal Process Work?

Since the child is 15 years old, it is not possible to send him directly to an adult prison. According to João Coias, one of the former managers of Youth Justice Services, in such cases, closed reformatory (detention center) processes focused on intensive psychological support and education are operated for underage youth, rather than prison. Experts will create a psychological profile of the young person and try to understand how he got to this point.

Parental murders on this scale are not common events in Portugal. However, it remains fresh in our memories that just a year ago, a 14-year-old boy shot his mother in Vagos and was subsequently sentenced to three years of probation. This latest incident in Algés unfortunately shows once again how fragmented family dynamics and accumulated anger can have devastating consequences on children.

Source: Natasha Donn / Portugal Resident (via Correio da Manhã and Diário de Notícias), SIC Notícias

Image Source: PSP (Polícia de Segurança Pública)