Yanet Soto Castellanos, a young Cuban mother originally from Isla de la Juventud, has been found in Havana after disappearing with her newborn baby over a month ago. The discovery on Wednesday brings relief to her family, who had been publicly searching for her since Monday.
Her uncle, Hipólito Scull, confirmed the news to journalist Alberto Arego, who had shared the case on social media. "Hello, she's been found. Thanks to your post, we received a call telling us their location," Scull stated.
Yanet and her baby were located at a small motel near the Finca de los Monos, in the vicinity of Ciudad Deportiva in the Cerro municipality of Havana.
Following the discovery, the family rushed to the William Soler Pediatric Hospital because the baby was suffering from a skin rash. "We're headed to the William Soler Pediatric Hospital, look at the child's condition," Hipólito Scull remarked when sharing the update.
A Desperate Search Unfolds
The family's search for Yanet and her baby became public on Monday when they turned to journalist Arego, frustrated by the lack of response from the authorities. Yanet, who struggles with mental health issues, had traveled to Havana in October 2025 for a romantic relationship, leaving her four-year-old son in the care of his father and grandmother in Isla de la Juventud.
Unbeknownst to her family, Yanet had been pregnant and gave birth on April 4 at the Ramón González Coro Obstetrics Hospital. A friend who saw her there informed the family. When they visited the hospital the following day, Yanet had already been discharged without any information on her whereabouts.
Challenges with Institutional Support
The official search efforts were largely ineffective. The family encountered indifference at the Public Health Directorate in Cotorro and faced long waits at the police station on Zapata Street, arriving at 11:30 a.m. but not being attended to until 8:18 p.m. Weeks later, a police officer called merely to ask if the family had found Yanet on their own, offering no new information.
Addressing rumors of family neglect, Hipólito Scull clarified, "She was never abandoned. She hid where she was living and her pregnancy." The eventual discovery of Yanet stemmed from the case's viral spread on social media, a common occurrence in Cuba where digital platforms often fill the gap left by the absence of official missing person alerts.
Similar instances happened in Mayarí in 2024, Villa Clara in March of this year, and Santiago de Cuba in November 2025, all resolved thanks to viral Facebook posts.
"We are not blaming any institution. We just want to know her whereabouts so we can help her as a family," Hipólito Scull had stated hours before receiving the good news.
Understanding Missing Person Cases in Cuba
How was Yanet Soto Castellanos eventually found?
Yanet was found after the case went viral on social media. Her family received a call indicating where she was located.
What challenges did the family face in their search for Yanet?
The family encountered unresponsiveness from official institutions, long waiting times at police stations, and general inefficiency in the institutional search efforts.
What role did social media play in resolving the case?
Social media played a crucial role as the case gained attention and went viral, leading to a tip about Yanet's location.