La Paz, Mexico — Thirteen teenagers from the southern state of Chiapas were taken into protective custody in Baja California Sur and safely returned home this week, after officials discovered they were traveling without adult supervision.
The group of teens, ages 15 to 17, arrived at the port of Pichilingue, where members of the Mexican Navy asked for their paperwork. When they couldn’t prove they were accompanied by a guardian, authorities stepped in to provide assistance.
In Mexico, labor laws prohibit children under 16 from working for wages. Still, many families from southern states like Chiapas leave their hometowns hoping to find jobs in places like Baja California Sur, where economic opportunities are often better.
After receiving word of the situation, Gov. Víctor Manuel Castro Cosío coordinated with the State DIF child welfare agency and reached out to Interior Secretary Rosa Icela Rodríguez Velázquez and National DIF head María del Rocío García Pérez. The national child welfare office quickly began the process to ensure the teenagers could return to their home state.
The safe transfer was carried out with support from Freddy Vázquez Méndez, Chiapas’ child protection prosecutor, and Navy Secretary Adm. Raymundo Pedro Morales Ángeles, who arranged for a military aircraft to fly the teens back.
Mexican officials said the case underscores their commitment to protecting minors, stressing that the safety and well-being of children remain a top priority.
Would you like me to also adapt this version into a short breaking-news style piece, like what would typically appear in the Los Angeles Times “Essential California” newsletter?
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