Cali Earthquake: Journalist Confirms Parents and Niece Found Dead After Building Collapse

The recent earthquake that shook Colombia has brought profound tragedy to Cali, where a journalist confirmed the deaths of his parents and niece. Their building collapsed during the tremor, leaving rescue teams to search through the debris for survivors.

Journalist Carlos Andrés Aponte, who was in Bogotá at the time, received the devastating news that his father, Carlos Arturo Aponte, his mother, Estela Marín, and his 11-year-old niece, Iliana Giraldo Aponte, were trapped inside their family apartment. The building's collapse was so severe that different floors became mixed together, complicating the rescue efforts.

Rescuers found Carlos Arturo and Iliana in the apartment's bathroom. According to Aponte's account, his father attempted to protect his granddaughter by covering her with his body as the structure began to fall. The scene described by rescuers was heartbreaking: the girl was found beneath her grandfather, a testament to his final act of protection.

The tragedy struck just hours after a family celebration. Carlos Arturo had celebrated his birthday the day before the earthquake, and his family had gathered to honor him. Iliana, who lived in Cali, had stayed overnight at her grandparents' home because she had no school the following day. The family had a particularly close bond with the young girl.

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In an act, I think of love, perhaps the strongest that a grandfather can do, he cuddles up, crouches down, covers the girl.