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17 years after ABC Nursery tragedy, Hermosillo honors memory of 49 children as calls for justice persist
🇲🇽 Mexico /Disasters & Emergencies

17 years after ABC Nursery tragedy, Hermosillo honors memory of 49 children as calls for justice persist

From El Universal · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Families, survivors, and citizens commemorated the 17th anniversary of the ABC Nursery fire in Hermosillo, Mexico, where 49 children died.
  • A Mass was held at the site of the former nursery, followed by a roll call of the victims, with attendees responding "They should not have died!" to each name.
  • Survivors and victims' families continue to demand justice and guarantees of non-repetition 17 years after the tragedy.

In Hermosillo, Mexico, families, survivors, and citizens gathered on June 5 to mark the 17th anniversary of the devastating ABC Nursery fire. The tragedy, which occurred on June 5, 2009, claimed the lives of 49 children, 25 girls and 24 boys, and left dozens with permanent consequences. A Mass was celebrated at the site of the former nursery, bringing together parents, relatives of the victims, and over 40 survivors, now young adults aged 18 to 20.

During the ceremony, Father Martín Everardo Peralta Pérez offered messages of comfort and hope, acknowledging the enduring pain of loss. "17 years have passed, but the love for your children remains intact. The pain of absence is still present," he stated, emphasizing faith as a constant support for those who have grieved. A particularly emotional moment occurred when survivor América Villarreal performed the song "Recuérdame," bringing attendees to tears.

17 years have passed, but the love for your children remains intact. The pain of absence is still present.

— Father Martín Everardo Peralta PérezThe priest offered words of comfort during the Mass commemorating the ABC Nursery fire anniversary.

The traditional roll call of the 49 victims followed, with each name being read aloud. In response, families and attendees declared, "¡No debió morir!" (They should not have died!), a phrase that has become a symbol of their ongoing fight for justice. Juanita Luna, a mother of one of the victims, spoke about how families have kept their children's memory alive, noting the presence of hummingbirds as a sign of their continued companionship.

The commemoration concluded with the release of pink and blue balloons, a symbolic act honoring the 49 deceased children and transforming collective grief into enduring memory. Despite the passage of 17 years, the families of ABC Nursery reiterated their unwavering demand for memory, truth, justice, and guarantees of non-repetition.

Seeing hummingbirds means they are here. Throughout these 17 years, many united hands have accompanied us. We started 17 years ago looking for them house by house and supporting each other amidst this tragedy.

— Juanita LunaA mother of a victim shared how families have maintained their children's memory and found support.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Universal in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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