A man has been arrested for throwing his young stepdaughter against a wall and killing her because she had taken a bath in her underwear.
The authorities in the Mexican state of Mexico arrested Francisco N., age not reported, over the death of Zoe Ivanna, aged 3 years and 9 months.
Her aunt Angelica had reported the girl’s mother Geovanna and stepfather, who live in the municipality of Nicolas Romero, to the authorities for child abuse.
She filed the report after she saw a photo of the youngster with bruises on her face, with her mother telling her the girl had fallen out of bed.
The mother told the aunt she took the girl to the hospital after the incident on 20th October.
However, the aunt distrusted the mother’s version of events and went to the prosecutor’s office, but authorities failed to remove the girl from the couple’s care, and they are now only able to investigate her death.
The aunt herself had reportedly tried to take the girl from the couple’s house in the Mexico City borough of Azcapotzalco, but she was unable to, and the family then moved to Nicolas Romero.
It was only on 16th November when the mother reportedly called her relatives to ask for money for the girl’s funeral did they learn of her death.
She said her partner had slammed the youngster against the bathroom wall and kicked her, causing her death, according to local media including Debate.
The girl suffered a fractured skull, fractured ribs and perforations to the intestine, according to Cronica.
The man was subsequently arrested, and the girl’s mother is considered a fugitive from justice, according to Debate.
The girl’s other family members now fear the stepfather will be released from prison, as he reportedly has a relative who is a councillor for the municipality of Atizapan de Zaragoza.
Family, friends and others shocked by the girl’s death protested outside the prosecutor’s office in Azcapotzalco in the wake of the alleged killing.
At the time of reporting, the stepfather remained in custody as investigations continue.
