Murder of seven-year-old girl in Mexico fuels anger over brutal killings
Residents from the child's neighbourhood have held up signs demanding justice following the killing.
Tuesday 18 February 2020 06:16, UK
The murder of a seven-year-old girl in Mexico has fuelled rising anger over brutal killings of women in the country.
The body of Fatima Cecilia Aldrighett was found wrapped in a bag after she was taken by a stranger from her school on the outskirts of Mexico City on 11 February.
It follows the killing of 25-year-old Mexico City resident Ingrid Escamilla, who was found stabbed to death and skinned earlier this month.
Fatima's family have accused the police and government of failing to protect her.
Her mother, Maria Magdalena Anton, told reporters: "Justice has to be done, for my daughter and for all women."
She said investigators had made the family wait hours to file a missing person report after Fatima was taken from school.
Sonia Lopez, the girl's aunt, said: "She could have been found alive, but nobody paid attention to us."
Following the killing, residents were seen pushing and shouting as they held signs demanding justice.
The hashtag #JuticiaParaFatima, meaning Justice for Fatima, was tweeted 179,000 times and became a top global trend.
Mexico City prosecutor Ernestina Godoy says the murder will not go unpunished, as prosecutors offered a $107,000 reward for information.
Five people have been questioned in the case and there is video footage of the child's abduction.
The investigation is now focused on identifying the woman spotted walking away from the school with Fatima.
Two days earlier, Ingrid Escamilla was allegedly murdered by her boyfriend.
An image of her mutilated body had been leaked by forensic workers and printed on the front page of a local newspaper, sparking anger across the country.
Protests erupted on Friday as demonstrators marched from the president's residence to the offices of La Prensa, the newspaper that published the image.
Demonstrators spray-painted the doors and walls of the National Palace, writing "femicide state" in blood red.
President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has said the protests were an attempt to distract attention from his social programmes, but insisted "we are working so that there won't be any more women's killings".
An average of 10 women are day are killed in Mexico and victims of femicide increased 10% in 2019 to over 1,000.