Sister María faces second court date in stolen babies scandal

María Gómez Valbuena, Sister María, has been called to appear before a judge in Madrid after a police complaint was lodged against her over her alleged involvement in the disappearance of twins born in the Santa Cristina clinic in the capital in 1981.

This is the second stolen babies case against the nun that has come to court following a summons last April to testify in a case lodged by María Luisa Torres, who claimed Sister María had taken her baby from her at the same clinic in 1982. On that occasion, Gómez Valbuena refused to answer questions in court although she did issue a statement in which she claimed to be innocent of the charges.

Torres has also been called to expand on her testimony in a separate courtroom on January 18. She will be accompanied by her mother, who was present at the birth, the Madrid association SOS Stolen Babies said. The organization is to hold a rally outside the court to protest against delays in the judicial process and the impunity of suspects in ongoing cases.

The case of María Luisa Torres is the furthest advanced as the majority have been shelved due a lack of evidence because of the length of time since the alleged crimes took place.

Sister María is also being investigated in a case launched by Felisa Tomico, who claims that the nun took her child in 1978 after leading her to believe she had died after the birth in order to put her up for adoption.