James Alberto Caicedo, 38, allegedly beat his nephew to death with a belt after discovering that he had received poor grades in school.
The 5-year-old boy, Yosuar Smith Cabrera, was under the care of his uncle while his mother was in prison. His father moved to another city.
After the beating, he allegedly asked Yosuar to go to the bathroom to clean himself up after the youngster sustained serious injuries from being lashed ten times, officials said. After later finding him unconscious on the floor, he rushed him to a nearby medical facility, the Mirror reported.
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Unfortunately, upon his arrival, he was declared dead. Yosuar’s death was caused by severe injuries to his torso, abdomen, and extremities, according to the medical report.
Dr. César González, the San Antonio de Padua Departmental Hospital’s assistant manager, recounted a discussion he had with his uncle.
“His uncle reported that, due to poor school results, he proceeded to physically punish him, consisting of 10 lashes with a belt,” he claimed. “He then decided to bring him to the hospital, unfortunately, with no vital signs.”
Residents in La Plata, a small municipality south of Medellín, Colombia, were shocked about the boy’s horrific murder.
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Authorities reacted quickly to arrest the man, who has since been charged with aggravated homicide. According to the authorities, he already had a criminal record for drug trafficking and illegal possession of weapons. He is currently being detained at a pretrial detention center.
Meanwhile, Yosuar’s mother, Michel Caicedo, who is serving time in Bogota, was denied permission to attend her son’s funeral. However, her fellow inmates organized a fund drive to transfer Yosuar’s body to the capital, where he was laid to rest.
As the investigation proceeds, the police have emphasized their commitment to combating violence, which continues to have a major effect on Colombian children.
