Lorraine Williamson
She should have been packing for Madrid, chatting with friends about her upcoming school trip to York. Instead, on 14 October, 14-year-old Sandra from Seville ended her life after months of relentless bullying. Her death has left a family broken, a community outraged, and a school under investigation.
Sandra’s story has shaken Spain — not only for its unbearable sadness but because it exposes what happens when schools ignore the warning signs.
Warnings that went unheard
For months, Sandra endured systematic humiliation from classmates at Colegio Irlandesas de Loreto. Her mother repeatedly alerted the school, but no action followed. Not before the summer holidays, and not after. Even when a psychologist’s report confirmed the severity of the bullying, management agreed to separate the students — yet failed to do so.
According to the Junta de Andalucía, the school did not activate the mandatory anti-bullying or suicide-prevention protocols. Teachers were left uninformed. The families of the bullies were never contacted. No protective measures were taken.
Isaac Villar, Sandra’s uncle, says the neglect is unforgivable. “No one helped her, even though that’s their first duty. They knew, and they did nothing.”
A community in shock and fury
By dawn the next day, the school’s walls were covered in graffiti: “Murderers,” “Guilty,” “You will not go unpunished.” Dozens gathered outside the family’s home in Seville to mourn, laying flowers and candles. Others demanded accountability — not only for Sandra but for every child silenced by institutional apathy.
Parents have since come forward with similar stories. “I withdrew my three children,” one mother told El País. “They said it was just childish behaviour.” Online reviews echo the same complaint: indifference, empty procedures, and “useless protocols.”
Calls for accountability
The Andalucian Ombudsman for Children, the Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office, and the regional education department have all launched investigations. Colegio Irlandesas de Loreto has issued only a brief statement, claiming its “priority is to support the students and affected family.”
Sandra’s relatives, however, want justice. “We’re not looking for revenge,” Villar said. “We want accountability so that no other family has to live this nightmare.”
A bright future stolen
Sandra was more than a victim — she was a bright, creative teenager full of energy and dreams. A football enthusiast who once trained with Sevilla FC but cheered for Real Betis. A talented painter whose artwork still decorates her bedroom walls. Recently, she’d talked about joining the military — a new ambition that had surprised her family.
“She had so much ahead of her,” Villar said quietly.
Why schools must act before it’s too late
Experts warn that Sandra’s death is a wake-up call. “Bullying isolates,” says psychologist Guillermo Fouce of Psicólogos sin Fronteras. “When a child feels ignored by the adults meant to protect them, that isolation can become unbearable.”
He stresses that while suicide is never the result of one cause, institutional silence often deepens despair. “Schools must not just observe — they must intervene.”
Child suicide rate in Spain
Never again
Sandra’s story is now part of a grim pattern. Across Spain, cases of bullying-related suicide have risen in recent years, prompting national debate over how schools apply anti-bullying protocols. Yet change has been slow.
Her family hopes her death forces that change. “We just want this never to happen again,” said Villar. “For schools to listen — and to act — before it’s too late.”
If you or someone you know is struggling
Help is available. In Spain, you can contact 024, the national suicide prevention line, available 24/7 and free of charge.