A 14-year-old has shocked the country after allegedly shooting and killing his mother in Vagos, Aveiro district, this week, raising numerous questions.
The violent nature of the crime, committed by the victim’s own son, who is only 14 years old, further exacerbates the disbelief. Questions arise about what could drive an adolescent, recently still a child, to commit such an act against his mother. Parents should be vigilant for certain warning signs, though indicators of violence might not always be present.
Judicially, this case presents significant issues as the alleged perpetrator is under 16 years old, a situation rarely seen in Portugal.
In an interview, lawyer Gameiro Fernandes explained that “Juvenile Justice in Portugal, applied to those under 16, operates under a special regime distinct from adult criminal responsibility.”
Children under 12 “face no criminal punishment but are subject to protective measures for children at risk.” Adolescents aged 12 to 16 who commit acts classified as crimes may undergo an educational guardianship process.
While minors under 16 lack “full criminal responsibility,” the lawyer noted, they can be “subject to measures protecting their rights to education and social reintegration.”
Young Suspect from Vagos is “Irresponsible,” Will Not Face Criminal Charges
“In the case of the 14-year-old suspected of killing his mother, Portugal’s legal implications are governed by the Educational Guardianship Law, applicable to minors aged 12 to 16,” explained Gameiro Fernandes. “The young man is not criminally responsible as an adult because he is irresponsible under Article 19 of the Penal Code.”
Instead of criminal charges, the Public Ministry (MP) “initiates an educational guardianship process focused on behavior education and social reintegration.”
Possible Educational Guardianship Measures
“Educational guardianship measures range from simple admonition to internment in an educational center (open, semi-open, or closed regime), including admonition, damage repair to victims, conduct regulation, community service, and educational supervision,” explained the lawyer.
Internment in a closed regime applies only to minors over 14 committing crimes with a maximum sentence exceeding five years or multiple crimes against persons with sentences over three years.
For qualified homicide, “due to the crime’s seriousness, internment in a closed regime educational center may be imposed for a maximum of three years, focusing on protection, education, and rehabilitation rather than prison time.”
Concerning the specific case of the Vagos teenager, Fernandes emphasized considering “all circumstances that may mitigate or aggravate the educational measure, such as the minor’s personality, the act’s context, if damage repair occurred, and potential psychological support.”
In summary, the 14-year-old who killed his mother “will not face regular imprisonment but will undergo an educational guardianship process possibly leading to internment in an educational center, ensuring education, rehabilitation, and social protection.”
After identification by the Judiciary Police (PJ), the alleged perpetrator was placed, on Wednesday, October 22, under a precautionary measure of custody in a closed-regime educational center for three months.
Details on the Murder That Stunned the Nation
On the afternoon of Tuesday, October 21, Vagos municipality councilwoman Susana Gravato, 49, was found in cardiac arrest by her husband at home.
The death was later declared at the scene by the medical team’s resuscitation attempts, as revealed by Vagos Fire Commander José Santos to the Lusa agency.
The case was immediately handed over to the Judiciary Police (PJ). A burglary was initially suspected, but that theory was quickly dismissed.
The suspect in Susana Gravato’s murder is her 14-year-old son, who confessed to the crime on Tuesday night, after being confronted with evidence by the PJ.
Reports state the boy memorized the safe’s code where his father kept the gun and shot his mother in the head. He then staged a burglary, covered surveillance cameras, and ransacked various rooms.
New details suggest the 14-year-old planned the crime because his mother allegedly annoyed him. Neighbors and acquaintances describe the family as “close-knit.”
Natacha Nunes Costa | 09:41 – 23/10/2025
To inspectors, he reportedly only said his mother was very demanding and had irritated him in recent days.
The premeditated crime, it seems, surprised those who knew the family, often described as “very united.”
Susana was considered a devoted mother, affectionately speaking of her children, including the son accused of taking her life. Meanwhile, the young perpetrator is perceived as “calm and polite” within Gafanha da Vagueira, the parish where the tragedy occurred.
