The Vallecas Case

In 1991, Spanish police were called to an apartment in Vallecas, Madrid. What they documented in their official report—unexplained noises, moving objects, and a mysterious brown stain—made this Spain’s only case where police officially documented paranormal activity.

The Background

The case centered on Estefanía Gutiérrez Lázaro, a teenager who had been using a Ouija board with friends at school. According to accounts:

• The session was interrupted by a teacher who broke the glass being used
• Estefanía reportedly inhaled strange smoke from the broken glass
• She began experiencing seizures and hallucinations
• Despite hospitalization, she died on August 14, 1991
• Doctors couldn’t determine the cause of death

The Aftermath

After Estefanía’s death, her family began experiencing terrifying phenomena:

• Loud banging throughout the apartment
• Objects moving on their own
• A large crucifix fell from the wall
• Doors slammed shut
• Sounds of laughter with no source
• A framed photo of Estefanía was found with a brown stain that appeared suddenly

The Police Report

On November 27, 1992, the family called police. What happened next was documented in an official police report—unprecedented in Spanish law enforcement:

Officers José Pedro Negri and his partner reported:

• Doors opening and closing by themselves
• A loud noise from an empty room
• A crucifix that appeared to have been torn from its position on the wall
• Scratch marks on a wooden table that appeared while they watched
• A mysterious brown stain that oozed from a table

The officers described the family as credible and genuinely terrified. Their official report concluded that something “inexplicable” had occurred.

Investigation

The case attracted significant attention:

• Paranormal investigators examined the apartment
• The police report was verified
• The family’s accounts were consistent
• No explanation for Estefanía’s death was ever found

Father José María Pilón, a priest and exorcist, investigated the case and believed it represented genuine supernatural activity, possibly connected to the Ouija board sessions.

The Phenomena

Over time, the family reported:

• A transparent figure appearing in the house
• Photographs developing with anomalies
• Fire spontaneously starting
• Voices calling family members’ names
• Physical attacks—scratches and pushes

Eventually, the family moved out of the apartment. They reported the activity decreased but never completely stopped.

The Film

The 2017 Spanish horror film “Verónica” was based on this case:

• Directed by Paco Plaza
• Made the case internationally known
• Dramatized but based on documented events
• The opening credits note “based on police records”

Significance

The Vallecas case is significant because:

• Official police documentation of paranormal activity
• Death of a young person under mysterious circumstances
• Consistent witness accounts from multiple family members
• Physical evidence (the brown stain, damaged objects)
• No conventional explanation ever found

The police report remains in official records, a testament to something unexplained that occurred in that Madrid apartment.

Sources

• Spanish police report (November 27, 1992)
• Documentary coverage by Spanish media