Mother of girl allegedly sold found about to travel to Chile with her other 3 children

A mother attempting to travel from Santa Cruz to Chile with her three children was apprehended after being alerted to allegations that she had illegally sold custody of her four-year-old daughter.

Officials from the Defensoría de la Niñez y Adolescencia (Childhood and Adolescence Defense) in Santa Cruz received an anonymous tip regarding the irregular custody of the child, who had reportedly been handed over in Santa Cruz and taken to La Paz. The mother was found with her other three children at the Bimodal terminal in Santa Cruz, preparing for her journey to Chile. While she and her children possessed valid travel documents, she was detained due to the accusations concerning her other daughter.

Lola Terrazas of the Santa Cruz Defensoría explained that the complaint alleged the mother abandoned or handed over custody without following legal procedures to another family in La Paz. The case has been reported to the Public Ministry, and the Defensoría and Fiscalía in La Paz are investigating the illegal custody arrangement.

According to the mother's statement, she entrusted her daughter to godparents while planning to leave the country for Chile in search of better economic opportunities. Terrazas indicated that the competent authorities will investigate whether any payment was made for the irregular custody of the child.

“

The complaint we received is because she allegedly abandoned or handed over custody without the legal procedures required by law, to another family in the department of La Paz. This fact has been brought to the attention of the Public Ministry, and it is the Defensoría de la Niñez of La Paz and the Fiscalía who are investigating this act of illegal custody.