Netflix just released the title The Asunta casea miniseries that delves into the investigation and circumstances surrounding the tragic disappearance and subsequent murder of Asunta Basterrahappened in Santiago de Compostela in 2013. The young woman of Chinese origin, adopted by the journalist Alfonso Basterra Camporro and the lawyer Rosario Porto Ortega, was reported missing by her parents, only to be found dead a day later. This event, which shocked the nation, is explored through this six-episode fiction.
The series offers a meticulous reconstruction of the events, based on the investigative efforts that quickly pointed to Rosario and Alfonso as main suspects in his daughter’s crime. “The news shocked the entire city and even the country”, highlights the synopsis of the miniseries, evidencing the magnitude of the social impact that the case had. Police focused on a number of crucial clues, including ropes found in the house of the couple that coincided with those used to tie Asunta, and the discovery of high doses of lorazepam in the girl’s blood, a substance with sedative effects.
The investigation did not only use physical evidence. The surveillance cameras, testimonies and the records of the electronic devices played a fundamental role in reconstructing the events that preceded the homicide.
(ATTENTION SPOILERS IF YOU ARE NOT AWARE OF THE CASE). Two years after the body was found, on October 30, 2015the court issued its verdict, finding the parents guilty of murder aggravated by kinship, sentencing them to 18 years in prison.
The case regained public relevance with the announcement of Netflix to revisit these events in his new production. Under the direction of Carlos Sedes and Jacobo Martínezand with the participation of recognized actors such as Tristán Ulloa, Javier Gutiérrez, María León and Carlos Blanco, The Asunta case promises an intimate and detailed perspective of one of the crimes that has most impacted Spanish society in the last decade.
But the tragedy of the Asunta case did not end with the sentencing of his parents. Rosario Porto, serving her sentence in the Brieva prison, was found lifeless in her cell, adding another dark chapter to this story. While television and press reports of the time extensively documented the development and outcome of the case, the Netflix miniseries promises a deep dive, breaking down the complex family dynamics and mistakes that culminated in an act of inexplicable violence.
The Asunta case It is an attempt to understand not only how and why this horrendous crime occurred, but also to examine the systemic failures that allowed such a tragedy to occur. Through captivating narrative and in-depth analysis, Netflix seeks to offer answers to questions that have remained unresolved, providing a comprehensive look at a case that has shaken the foundations of contemporary society.
The Asunta Basterra case was a crime that shocked Spanish society. Asunta Yong Fang Basterra Porto, A girl of Chinese origin adopted by the couple formed by Rosario Porto and Alfonso Basterra, was found dead on September 22, 2013 on a forest track near Santiago de Compostela, in the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain.
Investigations revealed that Asunta had been sedated with high doses of Orfidal for months before her death and eventually asphyxiated. The facts pointed to her adoptive parents as the main suspects. Both Rosario Porto and Alfonso Basterra were arrested and later convicted of the murder of their daughter. The trial revealed a series of disturbing behaviors and circumstances around Asunta’s life, including evidence that she had been sedated and subjected to situations of stress and abuse. The sentence for both parents was 18 years in prison for the crime of murder aggravated by kinship.
This case generated an intense public and media debate about adoption, the child protection system and family dynamics, in addition to questioning the functioning of the institutions involved in the protection of children.
In summary, the Netflix documentary miniseries, The Asunta Case, delves into the complex and heartbreaking case of Asunta Basterra, from her disappearance and murder to the investigation and trial that followed, exposing the multiple layers of a tragedy that continues to resonate in the collective memory. You can watch this series on Netflix.
