Kidnapped Spanish Girl Found in Amazon Rainforest

A nine-year-old Spanish girl who had been missing for the past seven months has been rescued deep inside Bolivia's Amazon rainforest from her alleged kidnapper.

The girl had not been seen since last August when her parents, Moroccan residents in the Catalan city of Hospitalet de Llobregat, allowed her to go on holiday with their Bolivian neighbour.

Her parents alerted police after they were unable to contact Grover Morales and their daughter for several days after they were due to land at their expected destination of Bolivia.

Following a search involving Spain's Civil Guard, Catalonia's Mossos d'Esquadra police force and Bolivian authorities, the pair were eventually traced to a remote part of Bolivia's Cochabamba region in an area barely reachable by car.

Morales, 35, was arrested accused of human trafficking and sexual abuse. He claims he had permission to marry the nine-year-old from her parents because he was a Muslim convert, Bolivian media reported.

He said: "I had her parent's trust. Her mother told me if you have intentions to marry my daughter you will be welcome and I will allow you to do so.

"So I filled the required paperwork, went with them to sign a power of attorney, and I was given the authorisation to take her.

"I haven't stolen, killed, or kidnapped anyone."

The girl is due to undergo medical and psychological tests before being flown back to Spain.