Stepfather arrested in Guasmo Sur following viral videos of assault on nine-year-old girl
A man was detained in Guayaquil following the circulation of videos showing his assault against a woman and her nine-year-old daughter. Police indicated this would not be the first time he had committed such acts.
Detention in Guayaquil following videos of domestic violence in Guasmo Sur
Two recordings circulated on social media on 11 September triggered the arrest of a man accused of assaulting his partner and her nine-year-old daughter in Guasmo Sur, south of Guayaquil. According to extra.ec, police apprehended the suspect on the morning of 12 September after activating search protocols following the viral spread of the images.
The first video, recorded inside a home, shows the man insulting and striking his partner: he grabs her by the hair whilst other people remain present at the scene. The nine-year-old girl, the woman's daughter, was also reportedly a victim of the assault. A small child was among the family members who witnessed the incident.
The second video recorded the neighbours' reaction. A crowd surrounded the man in the street and began to strike him, apparently after learning what had occurred inside the home. Following this episode, the suspect left the residence and sought refuge, according to the subsequent account provided by the National Police.
Press conference at Modelo barracks
General Walter Villarroel Trujillo, commander of Zone 8, held a press conference that same afternoon at the Modelo barracks in Guayaquil. Villarroel characterised the incident as a "cowardly act" and detailed that officers had gathered information from people who knew what had happened.
Whilst the commander spoke to the media, the detainee remained in the grounds of the institution, head bowed and bearing several light blows visible on his arms, attributed to the incident with the neighbours.
The commander emphasised that the citizen recordings were instrumental in directing the investigation. "Thanks to the collaboration of citizens", Villarroel stated, the police obtained key information to locate the suspect.
The National Directorate for Family Care intervened in the case, whilst operational teams carried out proceedings to locate the man.
Background and situation of the victims
The interviews conducted during the information-gathering process revealed additional details: according to officers, this would not have been the first time that this individual had been involved in similar acts of violence.
Following police intervention, the mother and girl were placed under protection and linked to corresponding care services. Villarroel indicated that both were placed "in safe keeping" and that health care and psychological support were arranged to safeguard their wellbeing. The detainee was remanded to the competent authority for the legal proceedings to continue.
Institutional response
The case mobilised several municipal and national agencies. Segura EP reported that it activated its team from the Management of Social Fabric Reconstruction and entities of the Social Axis, with support that includes legal advice, psychological care and social work for the victim.
The Ministry of Labour and Human Development (MTDH) published images of the minor's family environment with the aim of "knowing her situation, providing psychological support and identifying her needs and those of the family currently responsible for her care", according to a statement issued that afternoon.
Source: Google News EC — Guayaquil