The judicial process in the municipality of Navarrete highlights the lack of accompaniment and supervision of minors who left the protection system of the National Council for Children and Adolescents (CONANI). Two adolescents, aged 13 and 14, were victims of a crime that culminated in the death of the 13‑year‑old and the transfer of the 14‑year‑old to a care center.
Background of vulnerability
According to lawyer Hansel García, the 13‑year‑old, Josnely Álvarez, had been admitted to CONANI’s protection program due to an intimate assault in her environment. After the process, the girl was taken in by an aunt, but authorities did not verify compliance with the established protection conditions. The second victim, aged 14, had become a mother at 13 and had also been subject to prior abuse. Both adolescents were already living in critical situations before encountering the alleged aggressor, Edwin Reinaldo Rodríguez, 28.
The crime and the investigation
The case unfolded in Navarrete’s park, where the defendant allegedly approached the minors offering to accompany them to buy food. The 14‑year‑old managed to escape and provided information that was key to reconstructing the events. The 13‑year‑old, Josnely, was found weeks later in the waters of the Yaque del Norte River. Her family requested public assistance for her location and, after her recovery, she was buried in Navarrete’s municipal cemetery.
Criticism of the protection system
Hansel García emphasized that the case is not simply about two minors outside their family environment, but about adolescents with histories that required continuous follow‑up and supervision. The lawyer underscored that state intervention must go beyond the temporary evacuation from an unsafe environment, incorporating long‑term protection plans.
Responsibilities and next steps
The defendant, Edwin Reinaldo Rodríguez, has been placed in preventive detention for one year while the process proceeds before the Public Ministry. Authorities will need to determine his responsibility and the failures in the application of CONANI’s protection protocols. The case will continue in the courts, with the expectation that prior actions are clarified and corrective measures are established.
Source credits: diarioaldia.com
Note generated automatically from the sources cited in the text. Found an error? Email us at [email protected] and we'll fix it.
