Questions surround young man's death in Sahagún; family disputes accident claim

Rafael Santos Morales Yepes, a 22-year-old call center worker from Barranquilla, traveled to Sahagún, Córdoba, for a long-awaited vacation to visit family. His trip, however, ended in tragedy six days after his arrival when he sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the head on a rural farm.

His mother, Cindy Edith Yepes Peralta, last spoke to her son via video call the Friday before his death. He expressed excitement about his vacation and mentioned plans to travel to Medellín afterward with his sister and cousin. "My son was happy because he was going on vacation. He told me he wanted to visit his grandmother, his aunts, and his cousins. Then he had other plans, other trips. He couldn't come back," she told EL TIEMPO.

According to initial reports, Rafael was with a childhood friend and three other young men at a farm. The prevailing hypothesis suggests the shotgun discharged accidentally while one of them was handling it, striking Rafael. Those present reportedly attempted to take him to a medical facility afterward. This is the main line of inquiry being pursued by authorities.

However, Rafael's family remains unconvinced by the accident theory. They believe there are too many unanswered questions and are urging authorities to conduct a more thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. The family insists that the events leading to his demise were not a simple accident.

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My son was happy because he was going on vacation. He told me he wanted to visit his grandmother, his aunts, and his cousins. Then he had other plans, other trips. He couldn't come back.