A statue was unveiled in memory of the two little girls, Anna and Olivia, who lost their lives over a year ago after their father drowned them, and himself, in a vicarious act against their mother. The statue was commissioned by the DIARIO DE AVISOS Foundation and sculpted by Julio Nieto, and stands in pride of place next to the La Gesta playground in Santa Cruz in front of the sea where they will be remembered forever.
The inauguration was led by Nieto began his speech with integrity, but had to stop before the emotion that welled up in his throat prevented him from continuing. The sculptor explained how, in the last six months, the statue of Anna and Olivia is the only thing he has thought about. "It's a sweet sculpture," he said, " a soft design that reminds us of Anna and Olivia, their happy life, that tender look between them, of complicity and trust."
He continued that he tried to capture the innocence of children in his work, so that it would represent all children, and remind us that we have to look after each other.
The girl’s mother, Beatriz Zimmermann, only had words of gratitude, both for those who joined the search for her daughters, and for the unveiling yesterday, which shows the two girls as she wants them to be remembered, smiling and holding hands.
Also in attendance yesterday was the President of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres; the president of the Cabildo, Pedro Martín, and the mayor of Santa Cruz, José Manuel Bermúdez, along with the president of the DIARIO DE AVISOS Foundation, Lucas Fernández, who said: “It has been one of the hardest situations we have had to face”.
Fernández did not miss the opportunity to demand that the authorities make a greater effort to end the "scourge" of violence against women, in all its aspects, including vicarious violence, adding: "It cannot be that all violence remains in the private sphere when it is a public problem that affects us all”.
