The Spanish crime thriller “The Asunta Case” premieres on Netflix, telling the true story of the Asunta Basterra case, which shocked Spain in 2013.
On September 21, 2013, Rosario Porto and Alfonso Basterra report their 12-year-old daughter Asunta Yong Fang Basterra Porto missing. Hours later, her body is found near a road outside Santiago de Compostela. The police investigation uncovers evidence pointing to Rosario and Alfonso as potential perpetrators. The news sends shockwaves across the city and the entire country.
The Real Story of Asunta
Asunta Yong Fang Basterra Porto was a 12-year-old Chinese-born Spanish girl whose body was found in Teo, A Coruña, Galicia, Spain, on September 22, 2013, just a day after her 13th birthday. The coroner determined that the cause of death was asphyxiation, and it was revealed that she had ingested at least 27 Lorazepam pills on the day of her death—a dose more than nine times the adult limit. This tragic incident became known as the Asunta Basterra case.
Asunta’s adoptive parents, Alfonso Basterra and Rosario Porto, were found guilty of her murder and sentenced to 18 years in prison. The couple had allegedly periodically drugged their daughter with Lorazepam for three months before ultimately taking her life. Despite maintaining their innocence, the evidence against them was substantial.
The case attracted widespread media attention in Spain and internationally, with a four-part documentary series debuting in 2017 and later released on Netflix in 2019. The public was shocked by the idea that these popular and considerate parents could be responsible for such a heinous act.
The investigation and trial revealed a complex web of secrets and lies within the family. Rosario Porto, a lawyer, and Alfonso Basterra, a freelance journalist, had adopted Asunta from China when she was nine months old. Asunta was a talented and gifted child, excelling in ballet, violin, and piano, and even skipping a year in school. However, the family dynamic changed when Rosario and Alfonso divorced in 2013, and Rosario began a relationship with another man.
On the day of her death, Asunta spent the afternoon with her parents, eating lunch at her father’s home and later returning to her mother’s apartment. Rosario initially claimed that she left Asunta doing homework and noticed her disappearance upon returning from their country house in Teo. However, CCTV footage contradicted her statement, showing Rosario and Asunta driving towards Teo. When confronted with this evidence, Rosario changed her story.
The investigation also uncovered that Asunta had been periodically drugged with Lorazepam, the same medication Rosario used for anxiety attacks. Teachers recalled instances where Asunta appeared dazed and stumbling in the months before her death. Forensic analysis of Asunta’s hair revealed the presence of Lorazepam, indicating she had been ingesting the drug for at least three months.
The motive for the murder remained unclear, but the prosecution argued that the couple had grown tired of their adoptive child. The plot included experimental dosing of Asunta and careful planning to make it appear as an abduction and murder.
The case shocked the small city of Santiago de Compostela and sparked discussions about adoptive parent screening and international adoption procedures. It also raised questions about the role of the media in spreading rumours and speculations during an ongoing investigation.
“The Asunta Case” stars a talented cast, including Candela Peña, Javier Gutiérrez, and Tristán Ulloa. It is written by Ramón Campos, Gema R. Neira, Jon de la Cuesta, and David Orea Arribas, bringing to life the shocking true story that gripped Spain.
The Asunta Case Premieres Friday April 26, 2024 on Netflix.
