Last missing child found after leaving Quito foster home

A 10-year-old boy, Luis Eduardo Torres Ojito, has been found, concluding a search for eight children who left a Quito foster home. He was the last of the minors to be located after their unauthorized departure from the Casa Hogar María Campi de Yoder on June 27.

While authorities confirmed the boy's safe return, they did not disclose the exact location or circumstances of his discovery. The police employed various investigative methods, including analyzing surveillance footage and conducting interviews, to piece together the child's movements.

The incident began when the eight children, under institutional care, left the facility during pre-breakfast activities. Over the following days, seven of the eight children were progressively found across different parts of the country. The disappearance of Luis Eduardo prompted the activation of Alerta Emilia, a special alert system for missing children.

Although the child's recovery formally ends the search, the investigation into how the children left the home and whether any security or administrative failures occurred remains open. The case has also sparked a wider discussion about child protection mechanisms and emergency response protocols within foster care centers.