06/24/11— On Friday, Mexican authorities discovered five dead bodies in Durango, one of the victims being a 4-year-old boy. The body of the child, José Isaac Flores, was found next to his parents and two of their neighbors who reside in the neighborhood of Los Lirios in the municipality of Canatlán. The adult victims were identified as Yolanda Yesenia Venegas, José Usmero Flores, Sayra Venegas Gandarilla and Alonso Cabreta Sarabia. According to Univision, the boy had been killed with a “tiro de gracia,” the Spanish saying for a mortal shot to the head, which has long been a characteristic of cartel hit men, although their methods have evolved to include beheading, hanging, and dismembering of bodies.
Human rights organizations are reporting that the statistics concerning the amount of children who have become victims of organized crime continues to rise. Reports indicate that the numbers of children who have been caught in the crossfire between gunmen and security forces is increasingly high, some saying that there could be as many as 1,000 children who have been killed in the past few years as a result of drug-related violence. Univision stated a number of reasons as to why children, like Isaac Flores, are often victims, including cartels extracting revenge on a family member, recruiting youth into criminal organizations, and being caught in the middle of cross-fire. In Isaac Flores’ case, some suggest that his death may in part be due to simply living in a dangerous neighborhood in Durango, one that is heavily disputed by a number of cartels, although authorities are still investigating the matter.
Sources:
“Ejecutan a una familia en poblado de Durango.” Milenio. June 23, 2011.
“Asesinaron a niño de cuatro años con el ‘tiro de gracia’.” Univision. June 24, 2011.
“Un niño de cuatro años fue acribillado junto con su familia en México.” El Comercio. June 24, 2011.
