In a heart-wrenching turn of events, Thiago José Rodríguez Pérez, a young boy of merely five years, was discovered deceased early on October 21. The discovery came after he was reported missing just hours earlier in the small community of El Chumbo, located in the Alquízar municipality of Artemisa Province. Despite frantic search efforts by family members, neighbors, and rescue teams, his body was found in a well close to his home.
The tragic incident has left the community and social media in shock, with hundreds expressing their grief and demanding clarity on the circumstances surrounding this heartbreaking event.
Community Rallying for a Missing Child
Thiago was last seen on Monday afternoon, playing near his home between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m., according to neighbors' accounts shared on social media. When he failed to return, his family quickly raised the alarm, launching an intense search effort alongside local residents.
“The town is devastated; everyone knew him as a joyful child,” wrote a community member on Facebook. Social media platforms were soon flooded with images of the boy and urgent pleas for assistance under the banner "every minute counts."
Discovery in a Nearby Well
After hours of desperate searching, the child's body was found inside a well around 1:00 a.m. “I regret to inform that Thiago, the 5-year-old who was missing, was found deceased inside a well. Firefighters arrived and managed to retrieve him, but unfortunately, he showed no signs of life,” reported activist José Luis Tan Estrada, one of the first to share the news.
The firefighters' attempts to revive Thiago were in vain. “There are no words to express the pain we feel nor how to offer comfort to his mother, or his aunt who desperately sought help,” another user expressed online.
Questions Arise: Accident or Foul Play?
Amidst the grief, some community members began questioning whether the incident was truly accidental. Jessica Barnet Hernández, a resident of Alquízar, shared a statement that stirred suspicions about the location where Thiago was found: “Around 3 or 4 in the afternoon, Tiago, aged 6, went to play soccer but never made it. The family and neighbors searched for him and found him in a well at 1:45 a.m. without vital signs.”
Jessica described the well as being approximately 30 meters deep, overgrown with vegetation, and covered with a zinc sheet. “The child couldn't reach [the well's edge], it was surrounded by grass, and it had zinc on top. When the firefighters retrieved him, he wasn't wearing shoes,” she noted, closing her post with a call for justice for Thiago.
Her account has led to discussions and demands for a thorough investigation. In response to rumors circulating on social media about potential arrests, activist José Luis Tan Estrada contacted local residents to clarify the situation. “No brother, that's false. The police were here investigating but have since left. No one is detained; they only interviewed some neighbors, but the truth will come out,” a local resident stated.
Many in El Chumbo find certain aspects hard to comprehend. “It's difficult to believe a child so young could fall there alone. Besides, he was a normal child, no issues,” another community member remarked, referencing the well's remote and concealed location. However, other accounts contradict this view.
Ongoing Investigation and National Reflection
Activist Idelisa Diasniurka publicly claimed someone had been detained and suggested the event occurred near the funeral home, though she provided no further details. Currently, local authorities continue to investigate, and an official report is expected in the coming days to shed light on this tragedy that has plunged an entire community into mourning.
Thiago's death follows another recent tragedy: last Saturday, a 14-year-old was found dead in a swimming pool at the Ciudad Deportiva in Havana's Cerro municipality after being reported missing the previous day. Both incidents have sparked national outrage and reignited discussions on child safety in Cuba, highlighting the urgent need for transparent investigations when minors die under unclear circumstances.
Questions Surrounding Thiago's Tragic Death
What led to the discovery of Thiago's body?
Thiago's body was found after an extensive search by his family and neighbors, ending with its discovery inside a nearby well around 1:00 a.m.
How has the community reacted to Thiago's death?
The community has been devastated, expressing their grief and demanding an investigation to clarify the circumstances of this tragic event.
Are there suspicions about the nature of Thiago's death?
Yes, some community members question whether it was truly an accident, citing the well's difficult access and the circumstances of the discovery.