A 12-year-old boy from Chapala died in a Guadalajara hospital on Thursday, January 13, while under treatment for severe burn injuries suffered during a fire at his humble home in the Tepehua neighborhood.
The fire was reported at around 1:15 a.m. on January 11. Local firefighters and first responders arriving at the scene found Josè Ignacio “N” trapped among smoldering furnishings inside the small makeshift shack located behind the family home where he slept. The adolescent, known as Chuyito, was afflicted by first-, second- and third-degree burns over 80 percent of his body. A lighted vigil candle is presumed to have ignited the blaze.
Neighbors who knew the boy promptly took to social media to request an official inquiry into the fatal incident, reporting that he was a frequent victim of abuse and neglect at the hands of his mother and stepfather. The couple’s whereabouts is currently unknown.