'My Daughter Deserves Justice'; Dafne Zapata's Mother Calls for March Outside Militarized Academy Where Daughter Died
Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- The mother of Dafne Zapata Quintos is organizing a peaceful protest to demand justice for her daughter's death.
- Dafne died under mysterious circumstances at the Militarized Academy of Marina Doenitz after enrolling in a summer course.
- The mother alleges homicide based on the death certificate and is calling for those responsible to be held accountable.
Alejandra Quintos, mother of the late Dafne Zapata Quintos, is calling for justice and has organized a peaceful demonstration following her daughter's death. Dafne, a 13-year-old from Ciudad Mante, died under suspicious circumstances after enrolling in a summer program at the private Militarized Academy of Marina Doenitz in Ciudad Madero.
The protest is scheduled for Monday morning, with participants asked to gather between 7:00 and 8:00 AM at the academy. Quintos has urged attendees to bring banners and make noise to amplify their call for justice, stating on Facebook, "Let this not end like this." She is demanding that those responsible for her daughter's death face consequences, adding, "It is time for the murderers to pay."
Dafne began the summer course on July 13. According to initial reports, an academy coordinator informed Quintos that Dafne had fainted and fallen, receiving medical attention and medication. A video was sent to the mother showing Dafne resting and stating she was fine.
However, on the night of July 16, the coordinator contacted Quintos again, reporting that Dafne had fainted while showering. Later that evening, Quintos received the devastating news that her daughter had passed away.
Adding to the suspicion, Dafne's death certificate, issued by the Ministry of Health, reportedly lists the cause of death as "Homicide." Alejandra Quintos has emphasized that no arrests have been made and is urging the public prosecutor's office to conduct a thorough investigation and hold the responsible parties accountable. As of Sunday afternoon, the Tamaulipas Attorney General's Office had not issued an official statement on the case or the autopsy results, though investigations are reportedly ongoing.
Originally published by El Universal in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.