“My son had signs of violence. In the ribs he has blows, on his legs, abdomen, in the chest, in the nose, in the eye,” said the mother of the minor.
Erick Leonardo Terán Torbellín, 13, arrived at the Ollín Cuauhtémoc militarized academy, on Wednesday, April 23, to be part of a camp that would last three days. Although he arrived in good health, his mother, Erika Torbellín, received a call two days later to go for his son because, they said, he had “a little bad his vital signs.”
Although at that time the child was already in serious condition, the lieutenant who called him did not give him more details and Erika went to the place hoping to find his son alive. However, Erik was already dead.
After a week, the family of the minor complaint that the child died of serious damage in his body, after being allegedly beaten during training.
After Erik’s death, at least about 20 testimonies of his companions have come to light for the abuse and torture they suffered in that same course at the hands of the members of the Academy.
“I saw it, I was already in a stretcher already covered, everything was dragged from the clothes, treads in his body, had bruises. It is not normal, as the captain says, which was by asthma or insolation, due to natural death. My son had signs of violence. In the ribs he has blows, on his legs, abdomen, in the chest, in the nose, in the eye,” said the young man’s mother in a formula group.
The negligent practices with the use of extreme violence are not limited only to the applicants to occupy a place in the Mexican army or national guard, the case of Erik reveals systematized practices that make the use of torture and extreme mistreatment a kind of manual for training of future cadets in Mexico.
“Until now that they saw my grandson dying, [sus compañeros] They dared to speak and say what they have done during the years that have been here, ”said Erik’s grandfather, Isaías Torbellín, on a television program.
A waterfall of complaints from other minors who witnessed Erik’s death during the last of the training have appeared in radio and television programs and social networks. Some parents of that school, located in the Santa María la Ribera neighborhood, in Mexico City, have already come to the Prosecutor’s Office, where at least four investigation files have been opened.
Although the school is in the Mayor’s Office Cuauhtémoc, of the Mexican capital, the camp was made in the neighboring state of Morelos.
Now it is known, thanks to a statement from the Ministry of Public Education (SEP) that the institution, affiliated with the Secretariat, did not request the authorizations corresponding to the realization of that camp, so it was not enabled to carry it out.
Because the facts have taken place in Morelos, the investigation is carried out by both institutions: the prosecutors of Morelos and that of Mexico City.
According to the dozens of stories of the children who have come to light, the students describe the same scene: Erik forced him to continue the training, despite the fact that his physical condition for fatigue and thirst no longer allowed him to continue.
One of his teammates assured that the child asked for water and that a lieutenant only sprayed a few drops on his face, without allowing him to drink.
Another of his companions has said that when he saw that Erik was not able to complete the instructions, some of the monitors in charge forced him to continue until he collapsed, and still on the ground, he was dragged for several minutes in the middle of the earth and the stones.
None of those present allowed them to look at what was happening and threatened if they dared to do so.
Erik’s family ensures that in the death certificate he appears that the minor’s death has been “accidental or violent for exploding of viscera.”
Erika Torbellín has managed to make contact with some 30 boys and girls who have approached her testimonies. A mother says that her son came home with a broken arm, while another has declared that her son did not attend because she got very bad before the camp.
The school has responded through a statement in which they say they cannot yet give details of “this very sad fact” because the continuous research continues in progress, and in which they ask the media not to disseminate “false or not verified information.”
In addition, in a video of the campus director, uploaded to the academy’s Facebook page, the official says: “Moral and economic accompaniment was from the first moment until the mother allowed us. We understand her pain, what we do not understand is why say that we did not take charge.”
The director denied that Erik has been beaten or mistreated and in the video, which lasts just over 18 minutes, exhibited the conversations by message he held with Erika Torbellín. He said that the situation “became very hostile” and that they began to receive threats: “I can say that it didn’t happen. Never, he was never attacked to his son,” he said.
In addition to the testimonies of violent practices inside the academy and above all, during the three days of the camp, witnesses say that those who called the ambulance that gave attention to Erik were the residents of Cuautla, Morelos, and not the school staff.
Erik’s body has been buried in the San Isidro pantheon this Sunday in the Mayor’s Office Azcapotzalco, in the midst of military songs that sang his teammates and relatives.
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