The father of two of children who survived 40 gruelling days in the hostile Colombian rainforest has been arrested on suspicion of abusing their late mother, local media has claimed.
The four children, aged between one and 13, were thrust into a survival situation when the plane that was carrying them, their mum and two other adults crashed into the Amazon jungle, leaving them as the only survivors.
Domestic violence
The Colombian prosecutor’s office has now confirmed the arrest of Manuel Ranoque, the father of the one and four-year-old boys in the crash and the stepfather of the two girls, aged nine and 13.
The statement gave no details on the reason, but media reports said the case involved allegations of domestic abuse.
Astrid Eliana Caceres, director of the Colombian Institute for Family Welfare, said the state agency had been working with the authorities.
‘We learned of the capture of the father of two Mucutuy minor children and we believe that the prosecutor’s office has operated within the full framework of the law,’ she said.
Children custody
Ranoque has been embroiled in a fight for custody of the children with their maternal grandparents.
Their mother died four days after the crash, according to the oldest child, Lesly.
READ MORE: Four children, including 11-month-old baby found alive in jungle weeks after plane crash
The four siblings have remained in the custody of Colombia’s child protection agency since leaving hospital after recovering from malnutrition and other ailments.
Their maternal grandfather, Narciso Mucutuy, has accused Ranoque of beating their mother, Magdalena Mucutuy.
Before authorities confirmed his arrest, Ranoque acknowledged to reporters that there had been problems at home, but he said he considered it a private family matter and not ‘gossip’ for the rest of the world.
When asked if he had assaulted his wife, Ranoque replied: ‘Verbally all of a sudden, yes. Physically, very little.’
In mid-July, Ranoque told reporters that the kids were finally out of hospital after a ‘total recovery’.
At the time, he added that they were in the custody of Colombia’s Institute of Family Welfare, a government facility taking care of the vulnerable young and elderly.
After the children were released from the military hospital where they spent 6 weeks, Ranoque said: ‘They are totally recovered, they are in good health. I’m very pleased.’
The viral accident
The Huitoto Indigenous children were involved in a plane crash on May 1, when engine problems were reported as they flew over a remote part of the Amazon rainforest known as the Araracuara.
Tragically, their mother Magdalena Mucutuy Valencia – an indigenous leader – passed away following the crash.
She survived for four days with the children, before telling them to ‘get out of here’.
Lesly Jacombaire Mucutuy, 13, Soleiny Jacombaire Mucutuy, nine, Tien Noriel Ranoque Mucutuy, four and one-year-old Cristin Neriman Ranoque Mucutuy, then roamed the jungle for over a month.
They survived on seeds, fruits, roots and plants which they knew to be edible from their upbringing in the Amazon.
Their local knowledge of the region was the key reason for their survival, according to the National Indigenous Organisation of Colombia.
