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Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Child Goes Missing after Shootout in Nuevo Leon


An 8-year-old boy has gone missing after a shootout in Nuevo Leon. Investigators are searching for Brandon Cantu Emith Morales. Authorities say the boy was traveling with neighbors from South Padre Island. They came across a cartel checkpoint in Mexico. After not stopping, gunmen opened fire. One woman was shot in the head. The boy was also injured.

Investigators say the driver bailed out of the vehicle and hid in a nearby house. When he returned, the boy and the woman were gone. The U.S. Consulate General's Office in Monterrery issued this statement:

"Consulate officials are in close contact with the family. In this and all cases of a crime against an American citizen in Mexico, we urge Mexican authorities to conduct a thorough investigation. Our thoughts are with Brandon's family and we hope Mexican authorities will succeed in locating Brandon."

6 comments:

  1. This could have probably been avoided had he stopped at the checkpoint. That's all he had to do. Stop, answer the few questions of "where are you coming from and where are you going," and he would have been sent on his way unharmed. Unless he had a reason to run (other than being scared). I really hope they find the woman and boy alive and safe.

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  2. "had he stopped at the checkpoint".......I guess it is assumed that this eight year old boy was driving. This comment is written like there is a cartel checkpoint guide that if followed there will be no threat or danger. Seems the tragedy of this situation is being minimalized. I would doubt that boy or woman posed a threat to anyone.

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  3. Children suffering is so, so sad. Do you think these people at the cartel checkpoints are all cool headed guys in their right minds? But of course not! Most likely they are under the influence of who knows how many drugs; add to that sleep deprivation and constant paranoia. And on top of everything an enormous fire power in their hands, like the one recently confiscated at a nearby camp: http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/679702.html

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  4. I wrote the first comment...i think im being misunderstood. All a meant to say was that people who are from the area in which this incident occurred know that regardless of the checkpoint, you stop (i don't even think you can tell if there's a difference between a cartel checkpoint and checkpoint by the "police" since the police force is corrupt and sides with one of the cartels). Whether it's the military or the policy (which may be run by a cartel), you stop. Look at what happened to the family during the Easter holiday who were also going or coming from the beach (they were shot at by the military because the military claims the vehicle refused to stop.

    All im saying is that you have a better chance of being left alone if you just cooperate with protocal of a checkpoint, which is to stop. If you don't stop, that's an invitation to get shot at...not to mention that it makes it seem like the individuals in the vehicle have something to hide.

    What happened with these individual is extremely unfortunate and unjust...i do not condone the behavior that was executed against this family. May be this man didn't stop because his fear/"nervios" got the best of him or because he may be really did have something to hide (his face, drugs, weapons, or may be he was scared his vehicle would be taken from him - but better the vehicle than anyone's life...i know some people whose vehicles were taken from them at gun point, but were left unharmed if they gave their vehicle up w/o any objection/struggle).

    I've gone through some of these checkpoints also on the way to the beach, and i'm more than sure the men at these checkpoints aren't siding with the military and are probably on a cartel's payroll...

    and i wonder what the government is doing about this incident...or if the government is just going to say "oh they were collateral damage, ni modo" and forget about this...

    I'm not trying to minimize the situation, but i guess you have to be from the area to understand...and may be my "bluntness" comes off as cold and insensitive, but we see this happen so often (some unreported) that it just isn't so surprising anymore...the only thing we can do is try to live through this mess, and learn how to live through it at the same time.

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  5. It's a coin toss.. People get killed and kidnapped at checkpoints.. Or it could be that they just tap on your window and tell you to go. I personally don't stop, and always carry my MP.Never, ever go into a vehicle. That is the worst thing you could ever do. My own personal thought has always been, soon as I see that they're not letting me go I'm reaching for my gun. Better to die fighting than to die tortured.

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  6. does anyone know if there's an update on this one? Or any updates from previous postings looking for other missing people (two men named eduardo, and the missing man in miguel aleman)?

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