Grieving' step-mum heading search for 8-yr-old admits to being his killer
Cruz's Dominican step-mother was an active part of the large group of people who came together to seek justice.
When eight-year-old Gabriel Cruz went missing in Las Hortichuelas it shook the small southeastern village in Spain to its core.
Cruz’s Dominican step-mother was an active part of the large group of people who came together to seek justice until the case was turned on its head, when the boy’s body was found in the boot of her car.
Hundred of volunteers had been searching for Cruz’s body along with his parents Angel Cruz and Patricia Ramirez.
Ana Julia Quezada who had been dating Angel for several years had been at the forefront of this civic support group, sporting a T-shirt ‘emblazoned’ with Cruz’s face, often speaking with reporters teary eyed and traumatised.
Cruz went missing after he left his grandmother’s house to go play on 27th February.
Spain's Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido announced Sunday that police had found Gabriel's body in her car.
A police spokesman on Wednesday said Quezada, “admitted being the perpetrator'.”
Quezada attracted widespread hate from across Spain, including online petitions asking for her extradition and pressing for a life sentence following her arrest.
Cruz’s funeral on Tuesday drew a huge and deeply saddened crowd which was seen chanting, 'we are all Gabriel'.
Cruz’s father offered his gratitude for the support they received. “You gave us strength to search for Gabriel,” he said.