“How long am I going to have to live in fear?” That was the question that haunted the mind of Luz Raquel Padilla Gutiérrez, mother of an autistic child, and who since May 17 began receiving death threats. These were so strong that they were even captured on the walls and on the stairs of her apartment in Zapopan, Jalisco, in Mexico.
Two months after making her aggressors’ threats public, Luz died of burns received on Saturday, July 16, when an alleged group of people doused her with alcohol and set her on fire in a park near her home. Her death is already being investigated by the Jalisco State Prosecutor’s Office, under the femicide protocol.
Until when am I going to have to live in fear 😨 that something might happen to me and my family and my aggressor is still wandering around the city with the danger of continuing to hurt #Justice #nomasviolence #I don’t want to die #help @GDLAlert @FiscaliaJal @GovernmentJalisco @CJMJalisco pic.twitter.com/ZwBm1oAEOB
– Luz Raquel Padilla Gutirrez (@GutirrezPadilla) May 17, 2022
Luz was 35 years old and was the mother and caregiver of an 11-year-old boy diagnosed with autism. According to the organization Yo Cuido México, to which she belonged, “the constant death threats” were due to “intolerance for the noises that her son made in times of crisis.” This caused her difficulties with several of her neighbors, which she used to post frequently on Twitter.
On July 15, she shared her frustration after one of her neighbors sent a patrol because of one of her son’s crises. “How is it possible that my neighbor sends a patrol to a minor with autism and epilepsy for having one or more crises and hitting walls?”
Unfortunately, Padilla’s situation would not improve, and on July 16, according to witnesses, the woman would be attacked by a group of five people: four men and one woman, who doused her with alcohol and set her on fire. After the attack, police and municipal medical services went to the scene, where they found the victim with burns on more than 80% of her body, which would later take her life.
According to the organization Yo Cuido México, Padilla’s son is now in the care of his grandmother and aunt.
Although no one has yet been arrested for Padilla’s attack, the organization Yo Cuido México has already pointed to Sergio “N” as allegedly responsible for the attack, he is one of Padilla’s neighbors, whom she had previously denounced for attacking her with chlorine industrial, crimes against the integrity of people and multiple threats.
Carmen, one of the neighbors, would confirm the aggression of Sergio “N” towards Padilla.
A month, approximately, that he had sprayed her with chlorine, her chest had been injured, I think the left one; now yes, how worried, and sad because she was going to do something to her child.
After the events, Sergio ‘N’, a neighbor and main suspect in the death of Luz Raquel, appeared at the Zapopan Police Station to disclaim responsibility. Municipal police officers transferred him to the state prosecutor’s office, where he presented his statement as a witness.
We have at this moment, already in the facilities of this prosecutor’s office, one of the neighbors, the person they have been handling there on social networks, and with respect to whom they made direct accusations; we already have him here in the interior and in the femicide area, we are taking his statement, his testimony, we want him to give us a general overview, if he has any information that he can provide us with, regarding the facts, and continue integrating Folder; and that their legal situation continue to be assessed.
– Luis Joaquín Méndez, Jalisco Prosecutor
The prosecutor confirmed that Sergio “N” had a restraining order, so he could not approach Padilla. It was also found that he was not at the time of the attack.
Luz Raquel received constant death threats against her and her son at her home due to intolerance for the noises her son made in times of crisis.
It was not the first incident weeks before.(Thread)— #YoCuidoMéxico (@yocuidomexico) July 20, 2022
The organization Yo Cuido México also mentioned that Padilla did not receive “due attention or follow-up” after denouncing the death threats and, in fact, he was denied joining the Pulse of Life program “considering that the threats he received from ‘third parties’ were not sufficient cause to be a beneficiary”.
It is worth mentioning that Pulse of Life is a device with a location system and a panic button that sends a signal for help in an emergency.
On the other hand, the State Human Rights Commission in Jalisco began a process to clarify the case and put pressure on the corresponding authorities until they found the whereabouts of Padilla’s attackers. In addition, various organizations and collective groups are already preparing to start marches and ask for justice for the victim and her son, who has been orphaned.