News, views and top stories in your inbox. Don't miss our must-read newsletter Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Four young brothers lived with the dead bodies of their mother and her partner for at least four days without realising that they had killed themselves.

The boys, aged between 5 and 13, believed the pair were "asleep and cold", and did not think to raise the alarm despite a foul smell in the home.

Police were alerted when one of the youngsters mentioned to their landlord, who lived next door, that their 32-year-old mother had been 'asleep' for days, local media reported.

For days the boys dressed and fed themselves, and went to school while their mum and her partner were dead from what police say was a deliberate drug overdose.

It was reported that the landlord went to check on the family and noticed a "strong smell" when the eldest boy opened the door.

(Image: CEN)

The boy told him his mother was asleep.

When police arrived they discovered the bodies of the ' mother, Rocio Aguilar, and her 40-year-old partner, Jose Antonio, inside the home in La Zarza-Perrunal in south-western Spain.

Mr Antonio was said to have been retired from the military.

It was reported that police had checked on the home days earlier after the boys' school raised concerns, but officers left after the children told them their mum was asleep.

Isabel, who co-owns a hostel, told the Spanish newspaper El Mundo that the family had arrived in town just weeks ago "with nothing".

They were on benefits, locals added.

Isabel said she gave the family a room for four days and they seemed happy to be able to shower at last.

She sensed something was wrong and there were suspicions that the boys' mother and partner were drug addicts.

She said: "They were running from something, I do not know what."

Bella Vazquez, the hostel's other co-owner and Isabel's sister-in-law, said she knew Ms Aguilar when she was a child and her family had moved away to Huelva amid a mining crisis.

She told ABC: "She was a girl with a very miserable life. It's a terrible shame.

"There are four children who will hopefully go on and have a good life."

She said the couple and the four boys initially moved into a dilapidated, rat-infested house where the boys slept on mattresses, and she brought them food and water before they temporarily moved into the hostel.

Local officials claimed the family was not allowed to stay in the house because it was unsafe, and they alerted social services to provide support.

From the hostel they moved into the rental home, paying 200 euro a month, where the couple was found dead.

Ezequiel Romero, a police commander, told the Diario de Sevilla that officers were alerted on September 20, a day after the couple is believed to have died.

He said staff at a school became concerned when one of the children left and was not picked up by his mother.

Police went to the family's home to check on their well-being, but the boys wouldn't open the door and told the officers that their mother was asleep.

Mr Romero said police couldn't enter without a warrant.

The couple were found dead three days later, on Saturday.

Neighbours say they rarely saw the couple outside the home, but saw the children playing outside.

All of the children were immediately taken into care, where they currently remain.

It is believed the biological dad of three of the four youngsters is now trying to get custody of all of them.

The boys are believed to have told care workers they were used to feeding and dressing themselves.

It was believed the children were known to social services.

The investigation into the couple's deaths has determined that they committed suicide by overdosing on medication but no further information has yet been made public.