The minors were physically, psychologically and sexually abused by their father and stepmother. Justice has not acted in this case.
A 6-year-old boy, whose initials are KIV, had to undergo eight operations after being tortured and burned by his father, and sexually violated by his stepmother.
While other children his age spent Christmas 2021 with their family, he risked his life in critical condition in a health home in Guayaquil, to which he was taken in September of the same year, when his stepmother said he burned with the soup, although it was later determined that it was a lie.
The boy’s sister, initials KTV, two years older, was also mistreated and after staying in the hospital was taken to a foster home.
The story of the two brothers from Naranjal (Guayas) reflects the lack of protection and reparation for Ecuadorian children. Well, not only were the warnings of the mistreatment of which they were victims for months ignored, but today, their future is uncertain in a foster home where – if they are declared up for adoption – their chances of finding a home are almost nil. .
no one did anything
The six-year-old minor went through three hospitals on September 5, 2021. Neither in Naranjal nor in Milagro could they treat him due to the severity of his injuries. Thus, he arrived in Guayaquil.
But a month earlier, on August 23, the boy had already been admitted to the IESS hospital in Naranjal. He had burns and other serious injuries. However, the nursing home did not alert authorities to investigate what was recorded as a “home accident.”
Three days before the child entered a critical condition, a police officer issued a report that qualifies the child in “a situation of risk” and requested detention tickets for investigative purposes due to the possible violation of the rights of the seven children and adolescents of that house. But there is no record, neither in the Prosecutor’s Office, nor the Ministry of Economic and Social Inclusion (MIES) that a social worker has verified what was happening in that house.
A new police report was raised on September 5; a prosecutor together with an official from the MIES visited the house. The prosecutor ruled that “there were no signs of violence, or mistreatment of children, only lack of cleanliness.”
To this is added that the criminal judge of Naranjal, William Tapia, filed charges against those involved: father, stepmother and grandmother for physical violence, but not for rape and torture and that made them go free. Tapia justified that the Prosecutor’s Office had not sent him the file for sexual crimes.
Although three months later (December 2021) charges were filed against them and they were detained between January 26 and 29, 2022.
When the inefficient action in the case was made public, two prosecutors were dismissed by the Judicial Council on January 5, 2022.
What future do they have?
While the father and stepmother of the minors serve preventive detention, they remain in a foster home of the MIES. There, according to official information, they receive permanent medical and psychological care.
His biological mother adds to his history of abuse. A 22-year-old girl who, according to her lawyer, Patricia Coronel, has been looking for them since 2017 when the children’s father allegedly took them and she looked for them in several cities in the country.
According to Coronel, they have requested a hearing before the Court of Justice in Naranjal so that the mother can regain custody of the children and they are awaiting a response.
Gladys López, a child psychologist, says that foster homes should be considered as the last resort for children who are victims of violence. “In the recovery of minors, family reunification with permanent accompaniment by the competent authority, in this case the MIES, should be taken care of,” she says.
Adoption is a complicated process
If it is determined that there are no guarantees in the house of his biological mother or in the extended family, the Unicef international standard says that a process should be initiated to declare its adoptability. “Unfortunately, because of their ages and because they cannot be separated as siblings, they become a group with no chance of being adopted,” says López.
This has been confirmed by the head of the MIES, Esteban Bernal, who in a past interview with LA HORA explained that these children are considered priority adoptability.
If the children do not find a family, they will spend in foster homes until they are 17 years and 11 months old. From there they cease to be the responsibility of the State.
Bernal has detailed that there have been minors who have managed to enter soccer teams or other sports programs. However, there is no agreement for the State to sponsor a third level career.
Therapy and accompaniment
For his part, López assures that children victims of torture, as in this case, who are not reintegrated into a home tend to have stability complications throughout their lives. “In the country, children who leave foster homes are not followed up once they reach the age of majority,” he says. And he emphasizes that, in the case of the brothers from Naranjal, the State should sponsor them psychological support “for the necessary time, throughout their lives, due to the negligence committed.”
In the country, it is estimated that there are 2,500 children living in shelters where they have access to education, health, food and clothing. (AVV)
En 2021, cerca de 7.000 niños menores de 13 años fueron atendidos por violencia.
La violencia más común que se ejerce contra los niños es la psicológica. Le siguen la física y la sexual.
Los profesionales de la salud están obligados a denunciar cuando las personas llegan con signos de haber sufrido graves violaciones a los derechos humanos y a su integridad sexual. Los hospitales que atendieron al niño de seis años han sido cuestionados por no hacerlo.
La Defensoría del Pueblo pidió que se investigue el caso como negligencia.
