The skeletal remains found last August were identified as those of Facundo Astudillo Castro, the 22-year-old who went missing last April 30, when he left his home in the town of Pedro Luro, in the province of Buenos Aires. The news was confirmed yesterday by judicial sources.
With the confirmation of the death of her son, Cristina Castro, Facundo's mother, said that "life has given me a huge slap in the face". She also assured that she will seek justice for her son.
"It costs me a lot: it is one thing to say that I had the impression the remains were Facundo's, another thing is to know that for sure". I had been preparing myself for this situation, but it's a very strong slap in the face from life," wrote Cristina, in a letter posted on La Garganta Poderosa's Facebook feed.
"The time has come to bring my skinny boy back home, and then keep on fighting, because everything continues until we find out what happened to him. From Justice I only expect justice," she added.
Once the news was known, president Alberto Fernández expressed his solidarity with Cristina and assured that both he and Buenos Aires Governor Axel Kicillof wanted "to know what happened" and are "committed to finding the truth".
Studies on the remains were carried out by the Argentine Team of Forensic Anthropology (EAAF) and the Medical Forensic Body (CMF) of the province of Buenos Aires.
Facundo Astudillo was last seen on April 30, at a Buenos Aires police checkpoint in a town in the province of Buenos Aires. In August, bone remains were found in a different location from where the young man had been seen.
Initially, his disappearance was considered a runaway from home, but over time the case was labeled "forced disappearance," although no one has been arrested so far. Both Facundo's mother and her lawyers are calling for the police to be held accountable for their contact with the young man on the last day he was seen alive.
To all this, once again, like in other similar cases in the past, Human Rights groups of all sorts are saying "The State is responsible".
Translation and VO: Fernando Farías
Content Production: Silvana Avellaneda
Web Production: Julián Cortez