Two elderly Colombians and two young children, aged 6 and 10, claimed that they were brutally beaten by uniformed police officers during an interrogation about the kidnapping of the Fortul mayor’s young daughter, Colombian media reported Friday.
According to a complaint filed with the Ombudsman’s Office, members of Colombia’s National Police arrived by helicopter at the farm of senior citizens Angel Miguel Garcia and Maria Nelly Benavides, both 65, on Saturday, October 16.
The family claimed that the soldiers demanded answers about the whereabouts of Nhora Valentina Muñoz, the mayor’s 10-year-old who was kidnapped September 29.
The police officers reportedly began beating the elderly couple. The officers also allegedly tied up the two young children and hit them.
Garcia sustained such severe injuries that he had to be hospitalized. Doctors reported that he would be incapacitated for at least 20 days.
The children were handed over to the government welfare institute Bienestar (ICBF), where they were given psychological evaluations.
Colombian police have not yet responded to the complaints, which the ombudsman says will be investigated by the Inspector’s General’s Office.