Woman dies in `satanic ritual'

A BELGIAN woman aged 35 died near the town of Alicante in southern Spain after being subjected to ritual satanic abuse in her own home, Spanish police said yesterday. Her Spanish husband was among four suspects detained in connection with the death, apparently caused by a ritual attempt to drive evil spirits from her body.

Nataly Castlesor was admitted to hospital in a coma on Saturday with her body covered with knife wounds and burns, according to reports. She died shortly afterwards from heart and respiratory failure caused by the wounds.

The four suspects, two men and two women, appeared in court yesterday to make a statement, and a woman was subsequently freed.

The victim had lived a few miles from the village of L'Alfas del Pi near the resort town of Alicante on the Costa Blanca for several years. A search of the detached house she shared with her husband and their two sons, eight and five months, turned up implements and objects "that point to the activities carried out by a ritual sect", the authorities said.