Three Vélez-Málaga foster care teen residents detained for assault on security guard

Crime

The juvenile prosecutor's office is working on the case, while the victim is recovering at home

Eugenio Cabezas

The National Police have arrested three teenagers on suspicion of brutally assaulting a security guard at the Hogar Virgen de la Victoria foster care home in Torre del Mar (Vélez-Málaga) on Wednesday.

The between 16- and 17-year-old detainees have been placed at the disposal of the Malaga juvenile prosecutor's office.

The incident occurred inside the building managed by the Andalusian regional government (Junta), in the heart of the coastal town. According to sources, the security guard reprimanded a group of teenagers for the noise they were making late at night and the commotion they were causing in the facility, where they live under a semi-open regime.

Three of the teenagers then allegedly attacked the security guard, punching and kicking him. The assault prompted the mobilisation of an emergency medical team and the police.

The security guard was quickly taken by ambulance to the Axarquía hospital, where he was treated for multiple contusions. He required surgery for the injury to one of his eyes. He was discharged a few hours later and is recovering at home.

In the meantime, the National Police identified and arrested the three suspects, all under the Junta's guardianship.

The incident has once again brought attention to the former Hogar Virgen de la Victoria, a historic building in Torre del Mar that operates as a children's foster home under the jurisdiction of the Junta. The property has been the subject of political and institutional debate in recent years, both regarding its use and the municipal demand that it be transferred to Vélez-Málaga town hall.

In October 2024, the centre experienced another incident when a 16-year-old climbed onto the roof of the building for about an hour following a conflict with another child. The incident required the mobilisation of the Local Police, National Police, firefighters and medical services, although the young man eventually came down on his own and did not require medical assistance.

The building's status has also generated political controversy. In June 2025, the Junta ruled out relocating the centre or changing its management, despite the fact that Vélez-Málaga town hall had been demanding the transfer of the building (a long-standing municipal aspiration to use it for public and social facilities).

This institutional debate was further complicated in September 2025 by a complaint from the CSIF union, which warned of a situation of "neglect" and a lack of funding at the centre. The union stated that the Hogar Virgen de la Victoria had accumulated debts with suppliers, suffered from material deficiencies and required renovations, as it was the only centre of its kind remaining in the province after the temporary closure of the one in Torremolinos.

The assault case is now under investigation by the juvenile prosecution, while the security guard recovers at home from his injuries. The incident has reignited the debate about security, resources and the overall situation at the Torre del Mar facility.

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