Teen Femicide File Leak: Key Witness, Mother Seek Protection

Quintana Roo, Mexico — Following the arrest of former municipal police officer Miguel Ángel “N” as the alleged perpetrator of the femicide of 16-year-old Alejandra Michelle in the community of Calderitas, the young woman's mother, Wendy Hara Urbina, has requested urgent protection measures from the Quintana Roo Attorney General's Office for the key witness in the case and for herself, citing the leak of sensitive information from the investigation file.

Mother Denounces Leak and Media Lynching

At a press conference, Alejandra's mother denounced that specific details of the investigation were leaked to the media, which she said revictimizes her daughter and subjects her image to a media lynching, in addition to exposing the person who provided key information to capture the alleged perpetrator.

“I am outraged because so much information about my little Michelle was made public, and she is no longer here to defend herself,” she said. “As her mother, I don't agree with it, because it truly hurts me deeply. I have endured this damage for five years, even the place where I put her cross was smashed to pieces, once, twice, three times, even five times; I reported it and they told me it was vandalism. But it only happened to the cross and my daughter's shrine, that wasn't normal. I realize it was the same person who took her from me.”

Lawyer Requests Protection for Confidential Witness and Family

Lawyer Ariadne Song Anguas, legal representative of the case and of the Xtabay Women's Collective of Quintana Roo, requested the Quintana Roo Attorney General's Office to provide protection measures to the key witness with a reserved identity, as well as to Alejandra's family, after the data leak.

“Specifically, we demand that the Quintana Roo Specialized Prosecutor's Office for Femicides protect the witness with a confidential identity and protect the indirect victims, and dedicate itself to clarifying the facts; we are talking about five years,” she said.

Call to Purge Police Profiles

The lawyer urged the authorities of the Municipal and State Secretariat of Citizen Security to thoroughly review the profiles of officers within the corporation who may have histories of violence, since Alejandra's alleged attacker was an active municipal police officer in Othón P. Blanco when he attacked her.

“This is not an isolated incident. Recently, three municipal police officers and one state police officer were arrested for kidnapping three young people. We cannot continue to have alleged aggressors or criminals in law enforcement,” she stated.

Mother Recalls Daughter and Unsafe Area

Alejandra's mother recalled that her daughter was a young woman who enjoyed running and playing sports along the shores of Chetumal Bay, a place where many families enjoy the spectacular turquoise waters. But five years after her daughter's femicide, it is no longer a safe place.

“We used to exercise there all the time, either by cycling or jogging. But I stopped going because I had to work. I asked them to put in more lighting, more security, video cameras; many people used to go there to exercise, but they stopped going, it’s not a safe place anymore,” the woman said.

Call to Avoid Revictimizing Discourse on Social Media

Finally, Ariadne Song asked the public for their collaboration in avoiding revictimizing discourse on social media, since femicide is a crime that still prevails in Quintana Roo despite the fact that the state has had a gender alert since 2017.