Mexico:A Girl’s Death Sparked Mob Violence

A woman suspected of murdering an eight-year-old girl in southern Mexico was beaten to death after a mob formed from protests sparked by the killing

Violent protests began after the body of Camila Gómez was found by a road near the city of Taxco on Thursday.

Two men also suspected by locals of involvement were attacked but survived.

Camila disappeared on Wednesday after entering a neighbour’s house to use their swimming pool.

Her mother went to the police a few hours later after receiving phone messages demanding a ransom to free her.

She says she gave the police images from the security camera of another neighbour showing the house where the girl was but they reportedly ignored her pleas to act.

Camila’s body was found on a local road on Thursday. Local authorities later confirmed they were investigating a woman and two men for aggravated homicide.

Relatives of Camila joined Taxco residents to protest against the police and demand justice in a case which caused outrage in Mexico, a country with one of the world’s highest rates of violence against women

Taxco residents overturned cars, blocked a road and surrounded three people they believed had killed the girl.

Social media footage of the lynch mob showed police looking on as a woman locals believed to be responsible was brutally attacked.

Police appear to have been attempting to remove them from where the mob had gathered.

A statement on the state prosecutor of Guerrero’s website confirms police formally arrested one man in connection with Camila’s death.

Mourners dressed in white gathered in Taxco on Friday for Camila’s funeral, El Universal report, and carried the coffin through the city centre.

BBC