Tragic Loss in Songo La Maya: Young Mother Murdered by Partner

The tragic story of Leysi Liettis Cascaret Casero, a 22-year-old Cuban woman, has sent shockwaves through the island. She was brutally murdered by her partner, who is also the father of her infant daughter, in the Santiago municipality of Songo La Maya. Her aunt, Lis Arianna, took to Facebook to reveal that her niece was killed by Gustavo Ortiz Velazquez, the father of the baby, who was just 45 days old. "Murdered by her child's father. A mother just a month and a half postpartum. He strangled her," she emphasized.

The incident unfolded on the afternoon of Saturday, June 7, in El Manguito, La Maya municipality. The grieving aunt is demanding justice and has accused the "corrupt police of shielding the murderer." Adis Leyva, a neighbor from the El Manguito neighborhood where the crime took place, shared with CubaNet that "he beat her and strangled her until she passed out. It seems he panicked afterward, leaving her alone for a while. He later took her to the clinic, but it was too late."

The perpetrator, Gustavo Ortiz Velazquez, attempted to stage a rescue by taking the young woman to the local clinic. However, the autopsy results confirmed that she had suffered severe beatings and was strangled. According to sources cited by CubaNet, the assailant arrived at the health center around two in the afternoon, carrying Leysi unconscious and pretending to request assistance. As doctors worked to revive her, he stood outside, visibly agitated and chain-smoking. Unfortunately, despite their efforts, she was already deceased.

The forensic report disclosed numerous bruises and injuries indicative of domestic violence. The police detained the suspect at the medical facility. Leysi, a medical student, had given birth to her daughter just six weeks prior. The infant is now left motherless, with her father behind bars.

Adis Leyva recounted, "The situation with that little girl is heart-wrenching. She was still being breastfed. On the very day her mother was killed, the cries of the baby could be heard."

This heinous act adds to the alarming statistics of gender-based violence in Cuba. According to feminist platforms YoSíTeCreo in Cuba and the Alas Tensas Gender Observatory, 15 feminicides were confirmed in the country by May, with six additional cases under investigation. Leysi's death raises the confirmed toll to at least 16 victims in 2025.

In 2024, there were 55 feminicides in Cuba, leaving 62 children orphaned. Activists and organizations are once again calling for the urgent passage of a Comprehensive Law against Gender Violence, a critical gap in Cuba's legal framework. They argue that the absence of specific legislation, along with prevention and support mechanisms, perpetuates a climate of impunity and vulnerability.

"Without a law, women and children are left adrift," warn feminist groups, who demand that the state implement concrete and effective measures to halt these crimes and ensure justice for the victims.