THE three young children of a murdered British expat were among the hundreds at a poignant vigil for her yesterday.
Murdered by their father, and her ex-partner, Victoria Hart was found dead in her Alhaurin el Grande home on Saturday.
The 33-year-old mother had been killed by Juan Antonio Rueda who later handed himself into a nearby prison where he told officers that he had stabbed the mother of his children.
Alongside these children, one aged 11 and two twins aged seven, were Hart’s mother and sister who thanked the large crowd for coming to pay their respects.
Approximately 250 people gathered on Alhaurin el Grande’s townhall steps to release 100 white balloons into the sky and acknowledge the life of Hart who was much loved in the community.
Among those attending were local councillors, friends and family members.
Pupils from the school of Hart’s children also emerged at 5pm to participate in the minute of silence.
Speaking to this crowd was Hart’s sister, Jessica Cussen, who said: ‘Thank you all for coming today, all I have to say at this moment is, we want justice for Victoria, and we will get justice for Victoria.’
On social media, Cussen posted an image of a woman circled by a purple ribbon with the phrase ‘Stop domestic violence’ (Alto a la violencia domestica).
Hart had only installed cameras last October after her former partner ‘threatened to kill her’ saying to her ‘you are going to leave with your feet first’.
Reporting this incident, alongside Cussen and her mother, Hart was granted a restraining order which was then broken numerous times.
She, however, did not want to report these breaches because ‘she did not want to feel responsible if the father of her children were to go to prison,’ a close friend of Hart told SUR.
The mother also believed that her ex-partner was incapable of ‘carrying out his threats’.
Despite this belief, on Saturday at 10.40am Antonio Rueda entered her home and stabbed her to death, allegedly with a kitchen knife.
Emergency services were unable to save her, despite her looking out onto the street and begging for help.
The officials found her in a pool of her blood with her three young children and her murder weapon at her side.
Yesterday’s vigil formed part of the official day of mourning declared by Alhaurin el Grande’s town hall.
It is believed that Victoria is the first fatal victim of gender-based violence in the Malaga province this year, pending confirmation from the Ministry of Equality.
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