The four indigenous children rescued from the Amazon jungle in Colombia were released from hospital Thursday night after a month of treatment at a military hospital, the national child protection agency said on Friday.
“They have recovered (…) weight, they are even doing very well,” said Astrid Cáceres, director of the Colombian Institute for Family Protection (ICBF), during a press conference.
Since their rescue on June 9, Lesly (13 years old), Soleiny (9 years old), Tien Noriel (5 years old) and Cristin (1 year old) have been hospitalized at the Bogotá military hospital.
no physical damage
According to Astrid Cáceres, her 40 days of wandering through the Amazon jungle, where they ended after a plane crash that killed her mother and two other adults, have no physical consequences.
Even Cristin, who was less than a year old when the plane crashed on May 1, is “fully recovered in terms of physical development,” the official added.
In the hospital they were given special treatment and fed with preparations from the Uitoto ethnic group to which they belong, such as cassava flour.
Child custody battle
The ICBF said it will maintain guardianship of the siblings for at least six months because “more investigation is needed into the circumstances and family environment” of the children.
After the rescue, a battle broke out between the maternal grandparents and the father of the two youngest children over who would have custody of them. According to a complaint from the grandfather, the man abused the mother.
In the meantime, they will live with other children in an ICBF shelter, the location of which has not been disclosed. Astrid Cáceres only assured that they would live in a rural area, where they would feel “comfortable”.
The Colombian government jealously protected the brothers from any media exposure. President Gustavo Petro recently announced the preparation of a documentary about his survival in the jungle.
Source: BFM TV
