A five-year-old boy in Mexico was brutally murdered by kidnappers after his mother was unable to repay a £39 loan. Noemi Gomez borrowed 1,000 pesos from loan sharks in La Paz to pay her rent, but when she could not repay the debt, her son Fernando was taken from their home on July 28.
The kidnappers, identified as neighbours Ana ‘N’, Lilia ‘N’, and Carlos ‘N’, demanded the money for the child's release. Ms Gomez, who has a communication disability, went to look for her son but was threatened and attacked. She also sought help from local authorities but was initially turned away.
On August 4, six days after the kidnapping, police accompanied Ms Gomez to the property where she believed her son was held. They discovered Fernando's decomposing body in black bags. A forensic report revealed he died from a blow to the head with a hammer, and also suffered injuries to his arms, legs, and chest. He had been deprived of food and water.
The case was eventually taken up by an agency specialising in domestic violence. The local community has expressed anger over the authorities' slow response, believing Fernando's life could have been saved. All three suspects face kidnapping and murder charges.
