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"They are beating us. They don't give us food. They shoot us up to make us sleep all day," the runaways repeated when they were found by a citizen.
The Chilean Attorney General's Office opened an investigation against the Catalina Kentenich Children's Home authorities over abuse allegations.
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Justice authorities launched the investigation one day after nine minors ran away from the facility in Rancagua city, O'Higgins Region. They were found barefoot and scantily clad on a public road.
"They are beating us. They don't give us food. They shoot us up to make us sleep all day," the children repeated when they were found by a citizen.
The Chilean police returned the children to the center on Sunday, a few hours after they ran away. The next day, some minors escaped again while others climbed to the roof to denounce mistreatments.
TW // child abuse. violence.
— javiera (@bwaysjavi) March 24, 2021
This happens in Chile everyday in every center of Sename (National Service for Minors). They don't protect children's rights. They don't take care of those children. They make their time there even more traumatic. Please make it viral. https://t.co/rY5JAD83JK
President Sebastian Piñera's administration "is responsible for the crimes committed against children. We demand an investigation to clarify the facts," the Network of Lawyers for Children stated.
Interior Minister Rodrigo Delgado assured that "the perpetrators will pay for this crime if we prove that there was in fact child abuse. There is still much to investigate."
According to the center's authorities, the children ran away just because they missed their families, as visits have been restricted due to the pandemic.
#Chile | Chileans pay homages to Victor Jara following the historic vote on the country's constitution. pic.twitter.com/D77vjsgv8l
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) October 31, 2020
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