The rescue authorities temporarily suspended the search for a two-year-old boy who had been swept away by the waters of the Yaque del Norte River, after, according to preliminary versions, his mother jumped with him from the General Benito Monción bridge, in the Monte Cristi province.
The woman, identified as Ana Mabel Farías, 29, was rescued alive by members of the Fire Department and later transferred to a health center before being taken into police custody.
According to information provided by the authorities, the young woman has apparent mental health problems, a condition that, according to family members, required constant medical treatment.
According to reports, the mother admitted that she jumped into the river with the child in her arms, although she stated that she did not know the child’s whereabouts after the event.
Rescue teams, made up of the Civil Defense, the Dominican Red Cross, firefighters and local volunteers, deployed an extensive search operation both in the river bed and at its mouth towards the Atlantic Ocean.
However, the work was suspended without results due to adverse conditions, including the strong flooding of the tributary.
The mayor of the Monte Cristi Fire Department, Colonel Juan Francisco Francisco, explained that the brigades worked to find the missing infant and were injured with the help of a boat and volunteers, touring different points of the river in an effort to locate the minor.
“Since we received the alert, we activated all the relief agencies. Multiple tours were made through the river and nearby areas, but it was not possible to locate the child. We will continue to be attentive to resume the search and respond to the community,” said the officer.
Meanwhile, the provincial governor, Leissa Cruz, led the coordination efforts of the operation, reiterating the authorities’ commitment to continue the search actions in the coming hours.
Leandro Familia, father of the young Ana Mabel Infante, who jumped into the Yaque del Norte River with her two-year-old son in her arms, indicated that his daughter suffers from mental disorders and that, at the time of the incident, she was not under medical supervision. Likewise, he reported that family members tried to intervene when they realized the situation, but were unable to prevent the outcome.
The case remains under investigation by the competent authorities, while waiting for the resumption of operations in a context that once again highlights the need to strengthen mental health care and prevention mechanisms in situations of social risk.
María Eugenia Castro, community leader of the area, stated that the event has generated deep consternation in the community of Monte Cristi and considered that the provincial authorities must take a comprehensive approach to address problems linked to mental health, family vulnerability and the timely response of public services.
Likewise, Castro questioned the limitations in the care of patients with mental disorders in the province’s public health centers, pointing out the need to strengthen services and guarantee adequate follow-up of these cases.
