A Canadian woman has been arrested in Cancun after allegedly abandoning a baby and a toddler on a street corner in the Mexican city because she reportedly could no longer afford to care for them.
The woman is accused of deserting her two daughters, who are both under the age of three, last week, according to a report from Riviera Maya News.
Witnesses who saw the woman leave the girls on the corner before running away notified the police, who quickly located the children and placed them in the care of Mexican childrens’ services, the report said. The mother was said to be several blocks away when she was taken into custody on June 26.
Cancun Police told Riviera Maya News the woman and children are Canadian, but officers did not release the woman’s name, age, or place of residence. It is not known if she was visiting Cancun or if she lives there.
She reportedly told police she abandoned her daughters because “she does not have the financial means to take care of them.”
System for Comprehensive Development of Family director Marisol Sendo Rodríguez told Riviera Maya News both girls remain in the agency’s care.
“The girls are fine. They were sheltered with us in the Temporary Assistance House, they are fine,” she told the English-language newspaper. “Investigations are being carried out and, at first glance, the girls do not show any signs of abuse, but all the corresponding procedures are being carried out.”
Ms. Sendo Rodríguez said the girls will remain in protective custody until the local police have concluded their investigation.
That investigation will include a psychological assessment of the mother, she said, adding that her agency is currently attempting to locate relatives in Canada.
“If they have a support network, then obviously all the investigations are carried out,” Ms. Sendo Rodríguez said. “If it is viable, they can keep the children.”
