The family of three children who were murdered by an Army lieutenant will sue the Colombian government for damages, local media reported Thursday.
The family of the three victims [ages six, nine and 14] are requesting damages of $8 million because the military allegedly failed to assist them when they reported their children missing in October 2010.
The bodies of the three children were found 300 feet from an Army base in the municipality of Tame in the northern Colombian department of Arauca four days after they had been killed.
Lieutenant Raul Muñoz Linares was convicted of the murders and sentenced to 60 years in prison two months ago.
Linares was convicted of aggravated murder, violent sexual intercourse and carnal abuse of a minor under the age of 14.
The State Council also deemed it necessary for a safety study to be done on the victims’ families as well as the attorney and judge who hold knowledge on the matter. It is believed that they could be at risk following the murder of Judge Gloria Constanza Gaona in March 2011.
Gaona was initially in charge of this case until she was gunned down on her way to the municipal court.