Story By: Juan Mayes, Sub-Editor: Joana Mihajlovska, Agency: Newsflash
This young medical intern has been found strangled to death in her home just weeks after reporting a sexual assault to the police and asking to be transferred to another hospital.
Mariana Sanchez Davalos, 24, was found in her residence in the Mexican state of Chiapas on Thursday 28th January. She worked at a clinic in the municipality of Ocosingo in Chiapas.
Police said her autopsy revealed she was strangled to death but presented no other signs of violence or of sexual abuse.
Local media said that Sanchez Davalos had reported a sexual assault to police several weeks before her murder, but the case was never investigated. No further information was given on the alleged abuse.
The victim asked the Autonomous University of Chiapas (UNACH) where she was enrolled along with health service to be placed at another location.
She was given a month of leave, but her petition to be transferred was ignored, according to local sources. It is unclear if she informed them of the alleged sexual abuse she reported to the police.
Friends close to the victim said she began showing signs of depression due to the stress of not receiving payment for 10 days and suffering the alleged sexual harassment.
The Ministry of Health issued a statement expressing their “indignation” for Sanchez Davalos’ murder and reiterated their stance on zero tolerance for any violent behaviour towards women.
Fellow medical students protested in front of UNACH asking for an explanation as to why they didn’t allow Sanchez Davalos to change locations and calling for the police to be investigated for ignoring the matter.
Officials said they are communicating with the victim’s family to offer them all the support they need as they work on the case.
The victim’s death is being investigated as femicide, however, there have been no reports on any suspects.
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.
