Four Children Rescued After 40 Days in Colombian Jungle
Colombia’s First Lady Delivers Gift to Children
Colombia’s first lady, Veronica Alcocer, delivers a gift on June 10, 2023, in a Bogata hospital, to one of the four children who were lost in the jungle for 40 days after surviving a plane crash that killed their mother, the pilot and another adult passenger [Photo Colombian Presidency]
Children Showing Satisfactory Recovery
The four Huitoto Indigenous children – Lesly, Soleiny, Tien Noriel, and Cristin – aged 13, nine, five, and one respectively, have received treatment at a military hospital in the Colombian capital Bogota since they were found hungry and dehydrated on Friday, five weeks after going missing in the jungle.
Their mother had died four days after the crash, which also killed the pilot and another adult passenger. Adriana Velasquez of the Colombian Family Welfare Institute said on Monday that the children were “in high spirits.”
“They have been colouring, drawing. They love to talk,” she said. The older siblings had been fighting fever spikes, a colleague of Velasquez, Astrid Caceres, told Colombia’s W Radio, while Tien Noriel was being monitored for a possible reaction to something he ate.
Battle for Custody Emerges
Caceres said that a caseworker was assigned to the children at the request of their maternal grandparents who are vying for custody with the father of the two youngest children. “We are going to talk, investigate, learn a little about the situation,” Caceres said, adding that the agency has not ruled out that they and their mother may have experienced domestic abuse.
“The most important thing at this moment is the children’s health, which is not only physical but also emotional, the way we accompany them emotionally,” she said.
Missing Army Dog Wilson
On Sunday, grandfather Narciso Mucutuy accused Manuel Ranoque of beating his daughter, Magdalena Mucutuy, telling reporters the children would hide in the forest during the fights. Ranoque acknowledged to reporters there had been trouble at home but characterised it as a private family matter and not “gossip for the world.”
Ranoque said he has not been allowed to see the two oldest children at the hospital. Caceres declined to comment on why that was the case.
Meanwhile, the Colombian army dog named Wilson, who was the first to find the children, remains missing in the jungle. Apparently, there have been sightings of the canine hero, but he does not come when called. Reports from Colombia say that he was trained as an attack dog, not as a rescue dog.
The children have contributed a drawing that may help to identify the missing army dog Wilson who spent some days with them in the jungle.
Conclusion
The rescue of the four children is a remarkable story of survival and resilience. As they continue to recover from their ordeal, it is essential that their physical and emotional needs are met. The battle for custody and the mystery surrounding the missing army dog Wilson add a layer of complexity to the story, but ultimately, the focus should be on the well-being of the children.
FAQs
* What happened to the children?
The four Huitoto Indigenous children were lost in the jungle for 40 days after surviving a plane crash that killed their mother, the pilot, and another adult passenger.
* How are the children recovering?
The children are showing satisfactory recovery, with the older siblings fighting fever spikes and Tien Noriel being monitored for a possible reaction to something he ate.
* Who is vying for custody of the children?
The maternal grandparents and the father of the two youngest children are vying for custody of the children.
* What happened to the missing army dog Wilson?
Wilson, the Colombian army dog who was the first to find the children, remains missing in the jungle.