Lorraine Williamson
A Dutch woman wanted by authorities in the Netherlands has been arrested in eastern Spain on suspicion of serious crimes linked to the sexual exploitation of minors and human trafficking. Her detention followed the discovery of two unaccompanied teenagers in the Castellón province. This triggered a wider investigation by the Guardia Civil.
The arrest took place in Alcossebre, a coastal town in the municipality of Alcalà de Xivert, after Spanish police acted on a European arrest warrant issued by the Netherlands. Investigators believe the woman had been moving around Spain for some time while evading justice.
Abandoned teenagers raised the alarm
The case came to light on 7 December, when local police officers in Alcalà de Xivert encountered two minors — a 13-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy — who were alone and without adult supervision. Both told officers they had been travelling through Spain with the woman but had been left behind.
Their statements prompted an urgent response from the Guardia Civil, who began tracing the movements of the suspect and the other minors believed to be under her control.
Four minors linked to the same Dutch institution
Investigators established that the woman had been travelling with four minors in total. Two were her own children, aged 12 and 13, while the other two were 16 and 17 years old. All four had previously been under supervision at the same youth protection centre in the Netherlands.
Spanish authorities confirmed that the woman had lost parental custody of her children before leaving the country. Despite this, she is alleged to have fled the Netherlands with them and the other minors.
Tracked to an apartment in Alcossebre
Guardia Civil officers from Vinaròs eventually located an apartment in Alcossebre where the woman was hiding. At the time, she was staying with her 12-year-old son and the 16-year-old boy.
She was arrested shortly afterwards while sitting in her car near the property, with both minors inside the vehicle. Officers reported that the operation was carried out without incident. In Spain, she also faces suspicion of abandoning minors.
Children placed under protective care
All four minors have been placed in temporary care in the province of Castellón. Authorities say they are in good physical condition. Dutch child protection services are now involved in coordinating their long-term care and guardianship.
Cases involving cross-border child welfare often rely on close coordination between national authorities, particularly when minors are removed from their country of origin without consent.
Extradition process now under way
Following her arrest, the woman was transferred to Vinaròs, where she remains in pre-trial detention. Spain’s Audiencia Nacional, which handles international extradition cases, is overseeing the legal process.
Dutch investigators suspect her of a wide range of offences, including the sexual exploitation of minors, possession of child sexual abuse material, human trafficking, drug trafficking, kidnapping, unlawful detention and hostage-taking. The investigation remains ongoing.
A reminder of Europe’s joint policing efforts
The arrest was the result of cooperation between local police in Alcalà de Xivert and the Guardia Civil, working within a broader European framework designed to locate fugitives and protect vulnerable children.
Spanish police forces regularly collaborate with their European counterparts through arrest warrants and shared intelligence, particularly in cases involving organised crime and the exploitation of minors. In this area, rapid intervention can be critical.
Sources