I thought I had it all: a loving husband named Julián and our little son, Mateo. At first glance, we were the family anyone would dream of. I never imagined that behind that image hid a painful reality.

Disturbing signs

As time went on, I noticed changes in Julián. He would come home in a bad mood, distant, and with an unpleasant smell that wouldn’t go away. But what worried me most was Mateo’s reaction: every time his father tried to hug him, the boy would cry and push him away in fear.

At first, I thought it might be his coarse beard or his strong odor. However, one of my son’s words broke my heart:

— “Dad is bad. I don’t love him.”

The decision to place a camera

One afternoon, I had to go to the hospital to see my mother, and, heartbroken, I left Mateo with Julián, even though he clung to me, crying. That day, my anguish overcame me, and I decided to check the hidden camera I’d installed in the living room.

What I saw left me paralyzed.

The images that changed everything

At first, Julián lay on the couch, cell phone in hand, ignoring Mateo, who tried to get his attention by showing him toys. Julián pushed him away in annoyance.

But when the boy started crying louder, things got worse. Julián abruptly stood up, took his little hands, and, instead of calming him down, shook him violently, yelling in his face.

I felt like my world was crumbling. The man I had shared my life with was capable of treating our son like this.

A new beginning

At dawn, I packed our things and left with Mateo. I presented the video to the authorities, and shortly afterward, Julián was arrested. There was no turning back: my priority was to protect my son.

What do we learn from this story?

We should never ignore the signs children show when they feel fear or rejection toward someone close to them. Little ones often express what they can’t explain in words. Trust in maternal or paternal instinct can be the difference between pain and protection.