The investigation into the death of a 64-year-old woman at Ibiza's Can Misses Hospital has raised further questions about what happened inside the hospital and whether staff who were working during the relevant shift were advised not to discuss the case.

A man was arrested on 28 October over his suspected involvement in the woman's death, which occurred on 19 September while she was admitted to the hospital's Internal Medicine unit. He was subsequently remanded in provisional custody, with the possibility of release on bail.

However, important details remain undisclosed. The suspect's identity, his relationship to the patient and the circumstances surrounding the death have not been made public because the judicial investigation remains under secrecy.

In a report published on 4 November, La Voz de Ibiza examined what is known about the investigation and contacted healthcare unions and the Ibiza and Formentera Health Area over claims that employees who worked during the shift had been advised not to speak about the incident.

USAE says staff were advised not to discuss the case

Alejandro Juan, representative of the healthcare union USAE, told La Voz de Ibiza that the organisation had been unable to obtain further information from professionals who were working when the woman died.

According to Juan, those employees had told the union that they could not discuss what happened because they had been advised against doing so by the legal service of the Balearic Government.

Juan acknowledged that the union itself had very little information about the circumstances of the death or the findings of the police investigation.

He explained that the case was under judicial secrecy and that the union had not received details about the investigation.

Health Area denies issuing instructions to employees

The Ibiza and Formentera Health Area gave a different account when questioned about the alleged instructions.

The administration told La Voz de Ibiza that it had not issued any guidance instructing employees to avoid discussing the incident.

It suggested that any recommendations received by individual professionals could instead have come from their own legal representatives or from the judicial authorities, given the confidential nature of the investigation.

The Health Area also said it had learned about developments in the judicial proceedings indirectly through media reports and was awaiting further information.

Consequently, the origin of the alleged recommendations remains unclear. The union's account has not been independently established, while the Health Area explicitly denies having issued such an instruction.

Other healthcare unions decline to comment

La Voz de Ibiza also contacted other healthcare organisations to establish whether they had information about the incident.

The Balearic Medical Union (SIMEBAL) declined to comment, while the nursing union SATSE said it had nothing to add.

Consuelo López, representing Comisiones Obreras (CCOO), said she was not familiar with the details of the investigation and considered it necessary to wait for the judicial process to clarify what happened.

She avoided making specific assessments about the circumstances of the patient's death but expressed concern about violence and its impact on vulnerable people, including hospital patients.

A man arrested on 28 October

The police investigation resulted in the arrest of a man on Wednesday 28 October.

The National Police's Homicide Group in Palma took over the investigation after initial enquiries by officers from the Ibiza police units, including the Unit for Specialised and Violent Crime (UDEV).

The Homicide Group travelled to Ibiza to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death.

After his arrest, the man appeared before the judicial authority. A judge subsequently ordered provisional detention, with the possibility of release on bail.

The amount of bail has not been made public, nor have the specific offences being investigated or the evidence linking the man to the death.

His identity and any possible relationship with the patient also remain undisclosed.

The suspect has not been convicted, and his alleged involvement remains subject to the ongoing investigation.

What happened on 19 September at Can Misses?

The case began on the morning of Saturday 19 September 2026, when a 64-year-old woman was found dead in her room in the Internal Medicine inpatient unit at Can Misses Hospital.

In its initial statement, the Ibiza and Formentera Health Area explained that the patient had experienced an episode of significant agitation that posed a risk to her own safety.

According to the administration, healthcare professionals had therefore applied mechanical and pharmacological restraint measures in accordance with the established clinical protocols.

At approximately 11:00, during a routine monitoring visit, staff found the woman without signs of life in her room.

The hospital immediately activated the relevant protocols and notified the security forces.

Judicial Police and forensic officers attended the hospital to investigate the circumstances of the death. The Health Area said it had made the relevant information and available material, including security camera footage, accessible to investigators.

The administration also expressed its condolences to the woman's family and said it would cooperate fully with the authorities.

Investigation remains under judicial secrecy

Despite the arrest and the subsequent court decision, many questions remain unanswered.

Authorities have not publicly explained the circumstances in which the woman died, the nature of the suspected involvement of the arrested man or his relationship with the patient.

The investigation remains under judicial secrecy, limiting the information that can be disclosed while enquiries continue.

The disagreement over whether hospital employees were advised not to discuss the incident has also not been resolved. For now, USAE's account and the Health Area's denial remain the two publicly reported positions.

Further details will depend on the progress of the judicial investigation and any information that the competent authorities decide can be made public.