Eldest son of Juana Rivas petitions for a halt in legal proceedings against his brother, accused alongside their father, Francesco Arcuri
In a highly charged legal case, Juana Rivas' eldest son, Gabriel, has filed a complaint against his father, Francesco Arcuri. The complaint alleges physical and psychological abuse, as well as pressure from Gabriel on his younger brother to claim such abuse.
The case, being heard by the Court of First Instance of Granada, has taken a dramatic turn as Arcuri now faces a trial in Italy for alleged "severe and habitual" psychological abuse against his two children. This trial, scheduled for September 18, 2025, is a new development not previously considered in Italian courts.
The complaint against Arcuri details a harsh interrogation by a psychologist, allegedly instigated by the father, which caused the minor distress and unease. The child expressed his unwillingness to return to his father, feeling discomfort, crying, and begging to be left alone.
Sources familiar with the case have suggested that Gabriel's attitude at the meeting point may have overstepped what corresponds to a family member who is not the father or mother in an operation of this type. The complainant also requests urgent precautionary measures to protect the minor, including a court order preventing the father from communicating with him by any means or approaching him within less than 200 meters.
Meanwhile, the Spanish courts have rejected Rivas’s legal efforts to suspend the son's return. The Constitutional Court refused precautionary measures requested by her lawyers to block the transfer. In fact, the Granada court initiated an investigation into Rivas for child abduction, due to her previously refusing to comply with the court orders on the boy's return.
The younger son, Daniel, publicly expressed fear and rejection of returning to his father, saying "I don’t want to go back" and alleging "he will kill me if I return." Despite this, the court rulings favor the return of the child to Italy and the father.
The eldest son, Gabriel, has joined the pressure campaign supporting his mother, while the younger son Daniel has been involved in a pending judicial process for alleged domestic violence in Italy. The relationship between the two brothers is reported to involve pressure from the older brother for the younger brother to say that he had suffered abuse from the father.
The case remains legally complex, with parallel criminal proceedings against Arcuri for alleged abuse and continuing investigations into Rivas’s conduct. The complaint specifies that Gabriel was expelled from the room, preventing him from continuing with his brother, despite the latter's request not to be thrown out. The letter was written on Thursday, January 7, 2025, by Gabriel to a competent authority in Spain to prevent the delivery of his younger brother to Francesco Arcuri.
The current legal status of the dispute over Juana Rivas's eldest son involves that the Italian father, Francesco Arcuri, has regained custody amid ongoing serious accusations and legal actions. The delivery finally happened in July 2025 under court supervision in Granada, despite Rivas's strong resistance. The case continues to unfold, with the upcoming trial in Italy and the ongoing investigations in Spain.
- The case concerning Juana Rivas and her eldest son, Gabriel, alleging physical and psychological abuse against their father, Francesco Arcuri, is also being reviewed in general news outlets as well as health-and-wellness and mental-health platforms, given the profound impact on the family dynamics and relationships.
- In response to the mounting pressure from the eldest son, Gabriel, and the general public, the lifestyle section of several magazines has published articles about the importance of fostering open dialogue on domestic violence and supporting mental health within families.
- Crime-and-justice channels have started expressing concern over the potential conflict of interest that may arise from Francesco Arcuri's upcoming trial on severe psychological abuse charges, which is set for September 18, 2025, in Italy, given his pending domestic violence case involving the younger son, Daniel.
- As the dispute over Juana Rivas' eldest son continues to unfold, researchers in the field of science are studying the long-term effects of family trauma and court system dynamics on children's health and well-being, drawing insights from this high-profile case.
