Tulum, Quintana Roo — The deaths of two teenagers from Chilón, Chiapas, have sparked outrage in central Quintana Roo after allegations emerged that the son of a former state official tried to evade responsibility for the hit-and-run on Federal Highway 307.
According to family accounts, Daniel, 13, and Héctor, 16, were walking along the roadside on April 30, Children’s Day in Mexico, when a Ford Lobo King Ranch pickup truck struck them. The boys had been living temporarily in the community of Pino Suárez with their mother and stepfather after moving from Chiapas to find work and support their family.
Relatives said the driver did not call for medical help or remain at the scene. They also claim one of the bodies was moved into the brush before the driver fled.
The case gained attention because the accused is José del Ángel Arjona Rivera, son of José del Ángel Arjona Carrasco, a former local deputy, education undersecretary, and interim rector of the University of Quintana Roo.
The pickup truck was reportedly found days later in Tulum with visible damage. Investigators linked the vehicle to the crash after inconsistencies emerged in initial statements about who was driving.
A cell phone believed to belong to one of the victims was also found inside the truck, strengthening the investigation, sources said.
The victims’ families struggled to cover funeral costs and transport the bodies back to Chiapas, relying on community donations for burial.
The State Prosecutor’s Office continues its investigation to determine responsibility for the double fatality that has shaken the region.
