The Arauco Guarantee Court dismissed the pre-trial detention for Tomás Bravo’s great-uncle Jorge Eduardo Escobar, the only suspect in the death of the child, whose body was found last Friday after nine days of searching the Caripilun sector, Biobío region. Faced with the court’s decision, there were backing reactions among Thomas’s relatives: Grandma defended her brother’s innocence, while the father called the Court’s determination “absurd.”
“We know that my brother is innocent, we have said it from the beginning. Now you don’t have to put your arms down to find the truth. We are not going to rest as a family until it is known who the real culprits were,” Said Thomas’ grandmother, Elisa Martínez, upon learning of the court’s decision, collects 24 Hours.
“There is still research and there has never been evidence. They’re not going to find them. It’s not because he’s my brother and I’m defending him, it’s because it’s obvious that he has nothing to do with this. The real culprits are on the loose,” Martinez continued.
Jorge Escobar’s sister also slid criticism of Arauco’s chief prosecutor, José Ortiz. “From the first moment he says that my brother is guilty and that he wants to close the case. He’s doing his job very badly, saying from the first moment that he (Escobar) was guilty of murder, and without having the concrete or relevant evidence. He has no proof and he won’t have it,” he added.
Finally, he put pressure on the part of the POI on his family. “We made that accusation to mayor. Several times they blamed him (Thomas’ great-uncle) and he had to blame himself. He said no and has always maintained that position, which is innocent. Then they even came to apologize to me (from the POI).”
Father’s reactions
Little Thomas’ father, Moses Bravo, called the Arauco Guarantee Court’s decision to dismiss the pre-trial detention for Jorge Escobar “absurd.”
“I find it absurd that the judge has not convinced he he or she is faced with a crime. I think the evidence we have today proves it too much. It’s contrary to logic to think that my son died of natural causes and has also put his ropita in the way he was found,” Bravo said.
“I have no doubt that this was not a natural thing. There is third-party involvement in the evidence that has been demonstrated. Denying participation and saying it was a natural death, I really find it absurd,” added the child’s father.
