The search for two missing children in a quilombo in the rural area of the city of Bacabal, in Maranhão, around 250 kilometers (km) from São Luís, entered its 12th day, this Thursday (15). Ágatha Isabelly, aged 6, and Allan Michael, aged 4, disappeared on January 4th after going out to play in Quilombo de São Sebastião dos Pretos. A third child, Anderson Kauan, 8 years old, who was with the two, was found, on the 7th, by cart drivers in the village of Santa Rosa, neighboring the quilombo where they disappeared.
In addition to the search area, measuring around 54 square kilometers – marked by dense vegetation, irregular terrain, with few trails, difficult access, dams, the Mearim River and several lakes – divers from the Maranhão Military Fire Department began scanning Lago Limpo, the place where the children would have passed. This week, seven firefighters and two sniffer dogs were sent by the state of Pará to support the search. Ceará also sent a force of five firefighters and four sniffer dogs.
In all, around 500 people, including professionals from the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation, state security forces such as the Fire Department and Civil Police, the Army, quilombolas and volunteers participate in the action to locate the children. A geolocation application is used to map the routes taken by teams.
The Institute of Expertise for Children and Adolescents, an agency of the Maranhão Public Security Secretariat, has been in Bacabal since Sunday (11) deepening investigations. Among the people interviewed is Anderson Kauan, who was with Ágatha and Allan on the day of their disappearance. Anderson said he left the two at the scene while he sought help. When found, Anderson was weakened and without clothes. Exams confirmed that he was not sexually abused.
Institute professionals responsible for psychological and social expertise also interviewed the children’s families in an attempt to assist in the search.
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