Legally Insane Declared for Femicide of Avril, 19, in San José

A 21-year-old man has been declared legally insane for the brutal murder of 19-year-old Avril in Ciudad del Plata, Uruguay. A psychiatric evaluation by the Forensic Medical Institute (ITF) concluded that the perpetrator "does not have the capacity to appreciate the illicit nature of his acts and to determine himself freely."

As a result, the young man will be interned in a mental health facility for 180 days as the investigation proceeds. The declaration of insanity means he will not face a criminal trial in the traditional sense but will be subject to mandatory psychiatric treatment.

The victim, Avril, was attacked by her former classmate as she exited a bus. A 17-year-old boy, who was with Avril at the time, attempted to intervene but was threatened with a knife by the assailant. A neighbor also tried to help by throwing stones, but the attacker did not release Avril.

The liceo (high school) Libertad Laussarot, which both Avril and her alleged killer attended, suspended classes and declared a period of mourning. A sign on the school's door read: "Today there are no classes due to the femicide of our student Avril. She was a victim of him and he was a victim of his silence." The school issued a statement emphasizing that gender-based violence is a social problem, not a private matter, and called for an end to femicides under the slogan "Ni una menos" (Not one less).