The incredible survival story of the four brave indigenous children who survived a plane crash and spent 40 days alone in the dense jungle of Guaviare has captured the attention of Colombia and the world. However, behind this story of resilience and courage, accusations of domestic abuse and sexual abuse have emerged against the father of the minors, Manuel Miller Ranoque.
The Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (ICBF), according to Tiempo, has reported that it is carrying out verification of the complaints filed against the father of the children. These complaints are being analyzed by a family defender designated for the case, who has kept the information confidential to protect the rights of children.
According to an article published by El Tiempo, the children’s maternal family affirms that the children’s mother had filed previous complaints against Manuel Miller Ranoque. According to this version, the biological father of the one-year-old baby and the four-year-old boy, and stepfather of the other two girls, ages 9 and 13, would have committed domestic abuse and sexual abuse.
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In response to these accusations, Manuel Miller Ranoque has categorically denied any responsibility in an interview for El Tiempo. The father of the children assures that the maternal family seeks to obtain custody of the minors in order to obtain economic benefits and create conflicts. «They want to take the children to get resources and cause trouble. That’s all they know how to do“, he claimed.
On the other hand, since his admission to the Hospital, the ICBF had a Family Advocacy team assigned to indigenous communities.
The ICBF and OPIAC delegates hold a coordination table with traditional indigenous authorities that supports the decision-making of the Ethnic Family Ombudsman in favor of restoring the rights of girls and boys.