Tulum, Quintana Roo — Authorities took a 12- to 14-year-old girl into protective custody Wednesday after she was found traveling alone on a public bus from Felipe Carrillo Puerto to Playa del Carmen.
The girl boarded the minibus in Felipe Carrillo Puerto carrying a suitcase. Witnesses said a man accompanied her to the vehicle and helped her board before leaving.
Her first destination was Playa del Carmen, and she reportedly planned to continue to Cancun.
The driver noticed the girl was traveling without an adult and alerted authorities, continuing to the northern access checkpoint in Tulum.
Around 9:30 a.m., officers from the Specialized Group for Attention to Family and Gender Violence (GEAVIG) took custody of the minor and activated protection protocols.
Meanwhile, the girl’s parents went to the bus terminal seeking help and were later informed she had been located and was under official protection in Tulum.
Authorities are investigating the circumstances of her departure from Felipe Carrillo Puerto and the identity of the man who accompanied her to the bus, as well as any further involvement he may have had.
The teenager will remain in protective custody while protocols are completed and her safe return to her family is arranged.
