Police in Colombia have arrested a fruit vendor in connection with the murder of a 9-year-old girl whose body was found in a river days after she vanished.
Laura Valentina Páez disappeared after taking her dog out on the evening of Jan. 16 in Chiquinquirá, around 80 miles north of the Colombian capital of Bogota, per local outlet RCN Radiowhich spoke with the Chiquinquirá Mayor Yefferson Caro. The Time, RCN News and Caracol News also reported on the disappearance.
Laura’s mother, a street vendor, returned home at 3 a.m. on Jan. 17, to realize the girl was missing, she told El Tiempo.
Police identified the suspect as Daniel Josué Zambrano Cáceres through security footage, which shows a man approaching Laura on the night she disappeared, per Noticias Caracol and The Colombian. Cáceres has denied the charge against him.
Cáceres allegedly approached the girl and put her in his car before driving to the outskirts of the municipality, RCN Radio and Boyaca7days reported, citing the Attorney General’s office and initial reports, respectively.
March for Laura Valentina Páez.
Red+ News/YouTube
After Cáceres was tracked down and arrested, police eventually found her remains on Tuesday, Jan. 21, The ColombianNoticias Caracol and Noticias RCN reported.
A group of soldiers found Laura’s body at the mouth of the Minero River, about 45 miles from Chiquinquirá, per El Tiempo and Noticias RCN.
Her identity was confirmed by the mayor and the medical examiner’s office, per Noticias RCN and RCN Radio, respectively.
Daniel Josué Zambrano Cáceres.
Prosecutor’s Office Colombia/X
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Investigators retrieved evidence from Cáceres’ car, including bodily fluids, for forensic examination, the Attorney General’s Office said, according to RCN Radio.
Cáceres has been charged with forced disappearance, Boyaca7dias reported, citing the Attorney General’s Office; Noticias RCN and El Tiempo also reported the charge, adding that authorities say more charges are likely.
Despite his alleged confession during an interrogation, he denied the charge in front of a judge later on, per El Tiempo.
An investigation continues.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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