Story By: Juan Mayes, Sub-Editor: Joana Mihajlovska, Agency:  Newsflash

A couple have been accused of murdering a 17-year-old girl and kidnapping her four-month-old baby because they could not have children of their own.

Elder Josue Ventura Beltrand, 23, who has since been arrested has admitted strangling the teenage mum, claims it was because the father of the child who was the teenage girl’s husband had raped his wife.

The shocking murder occurred in the city of San Pedro Sula in the Honduran department of Cortes on Friday, 27th November.

Beltrand was detained by police and admitted to having strangled the 17-year-old named Laura Stepanie Rivera as an act of revenge, according to a police report from 29th November.

During his confession, Ventura Beltrand explained: “Last week, they entered my home and abused my wife. I realised who did it.”

When asked why he did not report the incident to authorities, he said because his wife Alba Luz Delarca Pavon, 23, “decided” that was not going to happen.

The suspect was detained after neighbours reported seeing Laura walking into the couple’s home but was never seen leaving. Her body was later discovered in their bathroom wrapped in black plastic bags.

According to local reports, the couples were friends and Laura went to their home on the false pretence that they were going to give her gifts for the baby, as they regularly did.

The four-month-old baby belonging to the victim was also taken and had been missing until authorities arrested the alleged killer’s wife Delarca Pavon.

She was found with the baby in her arms at the time of the arrest which occurred in the municipality of El Arenal located in the department of Yoro on 28th November.

Both suspects are being charged for the murder of Laura, and Delarca Pavon could see additional charges for depriving the baby of her freedom.

The victim’s partner who was also the baby’s father, named Roberto Quintero, denies all accusations of having raped Delarca Pavon and claims the couple only wanted to steal his baby because they were unable to conceive one of their own.

Both suspects are set to appear before a judge on Thursday 3rd December.

The ViralTab page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.