Tragedy in Los Girasoles III: 3-year-old girl suffocates; 11-year-old sister allegedly involved

Santo Domingo. – A three-year-old girl, identified as Mari Santana, died after being asphyxiated in an incident that occurred on Primera Street in the Los Girasoles III sector, in circumstances that are under investigation by the authorities.

According to preliminary information, the younger girl was allegedly asphyxiated by her 11-year-old sister while both were alone in the house. According to neighbors' accounts, the girls used to be left without adult supervision because their mother works late into the night, while the father of the minors does not reside in the home and was also working. Witnesses reported that around 5:00 in the afternoon the older girl ran out of the house with her sister in her arms, placed her on a piece of furniture in a neighbor's house, and desperately asked for help. A resident of the area explained that the minor requested help, stating that her little sister was not breathing and her mouth was darkened, which generated immediate alarm among the community members.

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Neighbors described both girls as quiet, well-mannered, and very close, highlighting that they constantly shared like any pair of sisters. Close relatives, including the minors' aunts, stated that they did not understand how the event occurred. They also reported that the parents are in preventive detention while investigations are underway to clarify the circumstances of the case. According to preliminary versions, the 11-year-old girl would have indicated that the incident occurred while they were playing with a pillow, a version that has not been confirmed by the authorities. The case has generated great consternation in the community, awaiting the official results that determine the responsibilities and circumstances of the event.