Teen stabs stepfather to protect mom in Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen, QR — A teenager and his mother were detained Sunday at the scene of a homicide. Both were removed from a residence on Coba Street after police discovered the boy’s stepfather dead.

The unidentified man was found deceased near the entrance gates of the private community Pasesso de Xcacel on Sunday afternoon. He had reportedly walked to the security booth seeking help after allegedly being stabbed by his stepson. Authorities were called to the home around 4:00 p.m. following reports of domestic violence that escalated into the stabbing.

At the scene, investigators learned the teenager had stabbed his stepfather in an attempt to protect his mother, who was being physically assaulted. Neighbors told police the altercation began inside the second-floor apartment before spilling onto the balcony, where the wounded man fell to the ground. He then walked toward the security booth before collapsing.

According to the initial police report, security personnel also called 911 to report a knife-wound victim. Red Cross paramedics pronounced the man dead at the scene.

The deceased’s wife, who also sought assistance, told officers she had engaged in a heated argument with her partner that turned physical. Her minor son allegedly intervened to protect her, attacking the man during the altercation. Officers from the Specialized Group for Attention to Domestic and Gender Violence (Geavig) were called to assist the mother and teenager.

A resident who requested anonymity stated domestic violence had been ongoing in the household. “We reported it multiple times, but nothing ever happened. The woman lived in fear,” the neighbor said.

An autopsy will determine whether the victim died from the stab wound or the fall from the second-floor balcony.