Police in Comodoro Rivadavia, Argentina, have arrested a woman and her partner on suspicion of aggravated homicide following the death of 4-year-old Ángel. Authorities detained the pair on Sunday night after the child was found in cardiac arrest at his mother's residence.
An autopsy released Friday revealed the boy suffered cranial trauma. Prosecutors believe these injuries occurred several days before his death, complicating the investigation into the exact cause of the fatal respiratory arrest.
A family divided by allegations
The boy's father has publicly accused the mother of killing their son. "My son was not a sick child. He was in good health. He had no problems with his heart or lungs. How is he going to die? They killed him," the father told reporters.
He further alleged that judicial authorities ignored his previous warnings about the child's safety. "My son always asked for me and nobody did anything," he said, adding that his attempts to intervene were dismissed as sexist behavior.
The mother denies all allegations of violence. Speaking to ADN Sur, she claimed she was attempting to protect the boy from an unstable environment.
"I am taking him away from people who are alcoholics and drug addicts so that he can be with me," she said. She described finding the boy unresponsive after noticing he had soiled his bed.
Social media has since circulated footage of the child appearing distressed during a recent custody transition. In one video, the boy is seen sobbing and repeatedly telling his father's partner, "I want to stay here."
Another clip shows the child crying while a police officer leads him away by the arm toward his mother's home. Investigators are currently conducting further studies to determine the precise cause of death.