Witnesses Point to Commissioner Maciel and Aunt Laudelina for Delayed Search Efforts

The trial for the disappearance of Loan Peña in Corrientes, Argentina, has reached its eleventh hearing, with new testimonies shedding light on a critical false alarm that briefly halted the search for the missing child. The focus is on the events of June 14, 2024, when a report of Loan being found led to the suspension of search efforts.

During the hearing, police commissioner Roque Nicolás Báez testified that he received a call from former commissioner Walter Maciel, who is now detained and accused in the case. Maciel reportedly told Báez that the child had been found. This communication, which quickly spread among officers and local residents, resulted in the order to stop the search operations. The alarm proved to be false within minutes, with no child found or transported to the hospital, and the search resumed without a clear origin for the erroneous report.

Prosecutors view this false alarm as central to their case, arguing it was not a mere confusion but a calculated maneuver to derail the investigation during its crucial initial hours. Maciel is identified by several police officers who have testified as the one who directed operations. Báez's testimony adds a key detail, supporting the prosecution's claim that the false report originated directly from the detained commissioner, rather than a widespread rumor among the hundreds of people searching the area.

Further details emerged from other witnesses. Gabina Pelozo, director of the local hospital, stated she received a call at 2:13 a.m. reporting Loan's discovery and requesting an ambulance. Sergeant Lisandro Alberto Saucedo confirmed he made this call after consulting Maciel, who instructed him to go to the hospital for supplies and personnel. Upon arrival at the field, medical personnel were informed the news was false, as no child had been found or transported from the area. The information was quickly disproven.