Maybe one of our Portuguese speakers can translate this paragraph.
A suspeita de eventuais abusos sexuais foi, de resto, uma questão alvitrada por muitos populares na aldeia da Figueira, quando Joana desapareceu. E em Novembro de 2004, fontes ligadas à investigação começaram a passar a mensagem de que até haveria "pessoas importantes" envolvidas naquele caso. Contudo, a responsável de um minimercado naquela povoação disse na altura ao nosso jornal que, sensivelmente em Abril, aproveitou uma consulta da miúda no Hospital do Barlavento, em Portimão, para pedir aos médicos um exame à Joana, a fim de saber se tinha, de facto, sido vítima de violação. O teste foi negativo. Também os dois filhos do padrasto de Joana - Ruben e Lara, de três e dois anos, respectivamente - foram vistos pelos médicos, mas nada foi detectado nesse sentido.
From what I can gather of that, the article is saying that:
- The issue of potential sexual abuse had been raised by many in the village when she disappeared.
- In Nov 2004 sources connected to the investigation started to convey the message that there may be "important people" involved.
- The head of the minimarket had told the newspaper that she had taken advantage of taking her to the hospital to ask for tests to check if she had, indeed, been raped. The test was negative.
- Doctors checked the two youngest, but nothing was detected.
I'm not sure whether that's all true. Supermarket lady did take her to hospital, according the files, for a bad cough, but that's all that I've been able to verify. One of the other witnesses (the schoolteacher?) said that she sometimes appeared inappropriately clothed for the weather. Someone in the village had contacted social services to ask them to check on the family, but when they turned up unexpectedly, the only reprimand was that the kids shouldn't eat too many crackers (which they were munching while Leonor was making lunch for them), according to Leandro's account in his press interview. She sometimes helped her mum around the house and helped care for the two younger ones, but also went to play with friends.
So far, I can't find anything that would lend credence to the idea that she'd been mistreated at all. There's nothing in the witness statements to that effect, aside from what I've just mentioned, but which doesn't strike me as out of the ordinary.
If there had been any substance to it, I would have thought that the prosecution would have made a feast of it. After all, it would have been a more credible allegation than wild incestuous sex on the livingroom sofa with an unlocked door when Leandro and the other guy could have popped in at any moment.
