The River Pattern

The distribution of infant deaths along the changing course of the Baztán and Bidasoa rivers gives Amaia a geographic framework for the crimes.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

An Initial Statistical Check

An Initial Statistical Check Ordinary numbers Jonan compares sudden infant death records in the valley with broader rates. The total is not unusually high, complicating the theory that every recorded death was a crime. A revealing subset Several families nevertheless drew social-service attention because of their reactions or circumstances. Amaia focuses on suspicious details rather than treating a raw count as proof.

Girls Along the Water

Girls Along the Water Narrowing the cases Amaia asks the team to identify unbaptized girls who died young, then to compare families’ finances before and after each death. The search expands from the valley to nearby settlements. A geographic clue The cases form a line along the Baztán–Bidasoa River. A river once treated as scenery becomes a practical map for locating victims and possible burial sites.

Following the River’s Name

Following the River’s Name A missed boundary Amaia realizes that the river changes its name from Baztán to Bidasoa as it continues toward the coast. Earlier searches limited to the valley had stopped too soon. A wider search area She directs the team to investigate infant deaths in Guipúzcoa as well. Four additional suspicious cases near Hondarribia emerge, extending the pattern across a provincial boundary.

An Open Grave in Igantzi

An Open Grave in Igantzi A mother’s permission A divorced mother agrees to let police inspect her family tomb under the pretext of repairs. The grave is opened, and her infant daughter is missing. Independent corroboration The empty coffin makes another disappearance tangible without requiring the French court to reopen its disputed order. Amaia now has a stronger basis for linking separate families.

A Coastal Pattern Confirmed

A Coastal Pattern Confirmed A second inspection The team prepares to inspect another family tomb near Hondarribia. A mother who had long suspected a missing body sees an empty coffin, confirming that the valley’s pattern reaches the coast. A larger crime scene The river corridor connects families, funerals, and hidden graves. The geographic pattern no longer rests on rumor alone; multiple empty coffins establish a chain of missing children.

after the Esparza autopsy

after further parish checks

after Amaia studies Hidalgo’s work history

after the cult rules are discussed

the following evening in Hondarribia