Grandparents Take Baby from Mother in Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen, Mexico — Women's collectives Mujeres por México and Siempre Unidas issued a public denunciation demanding the return of an eight-month-old breastfeeding infant who was deceitfully taken by her non-biological grandparents, one of whom is a Municipal Transit Police officer.

An Amber Alert was requested to search for the baby, Eloy Aythana Córdova Rosario, in what is being described as a case of vicarious violence against the young mother, Danya. The grandparents had allegedly supported Danya to free her from the domestic violence she suffered with her ex-partner.

Danya, a victim of domestic violence, had been out of her ex-in-laws' home for a month. However, her ex-father-in-law, Alexander Córdoba—a Municipal Transit Police officer in Playa del Carmen—and his wife deceitfully took the infant and have refused to return her, thereby exercising vicarious violence.

During the early hours of last Thursday, with support from GEAVIG (the State Attorney General's Office Specialized in Gender-Based Violence against Women), a search for the child was conducted at the aggressors' home. The grandfather, in an act of arrogance and abuse of power, refused to hand her over without any legal right or legal bond.

Subsequently, with the presence of GEAVIG and the State Attorney General's Office, the child was presented at the Quintana Roo State Attorney General's Office on Friday night. However, in what is described as a corrupt and criminal act, the Public Prosecutor allowed the grandparents to take the infant away again, leaving the young mother devastated and directly violating the best interests of the child. Furthermore, the infant is breastfeeding and had gone several days without receiving breast milk.

It is noted that the "father" did not appear at any moment, nor did he take any action; everything was done through the grandparents.

Fortunately, through the intervention of lawyer and activist Ariadne Songs, who filed a lawsuit at the Women's Justice Center in Playa del Carmen outlining the facts of how the child was deceitfully taken from the home where she lived with her mother, the child was eventually returned to her mother. The lawsuit detailed how the official's position was used to refuse to hand over the child. With this and other legal resources, they finally succeeded in having the baby returned to her mother.

They expressed gratitude to the authorities of the State of Quintana Roo who acted in strict accordance with the law to uphold the best interests of the child.

However, legal actions continue. After the first ordeal of vicarious violence comes the second and worst ordeal of all: institutional violence, where judges and magistrates sell the custody of children to vicarious aggressors. For this reason, they will continue to accompany Dayna and her baby because, they assert, in the courts of Quintana Roo, justice is sold to the highest bidder.

"We are ready to defend the children and adolescents from the evil generated by devils in robes. Enough violence in Quintana Roo! The boys and girls of Quintana Roo are NOT bargaining chips!" the groups stated.

"We directly denounce public servant Alexander Córdova, who boasts of his connections to evade justice and works in the Municipal Transit Department of Playa del Carmen. We demand he be charged for the crime of child abduction and retention!" were the activist's final comments.