Endangered girls housed with addicted adults

While a Public Ministry investigation is underway into alleged abuse of children in a Tocumen shelter under the direction of the Secretariat for Children, Adolescents and the Family (Senniaf) new revelations have surfaced about another hostel in Veraguas where some 10 girls and adolescents were sent to an adult shelter that housed women with drug and psychiatric problems did not have staff or conditions suited to children.

The Amor de Damas Refuge is under the administration of the Only a Matter of Faith Foundation, led by Pastor Dorian Mena who said they had warned Senniaf that the place was no suitable for children.

 In  May, a group of minors escaped from the shelter and told neighbors and National Police authorities that they fled due to alleged abuse.

The anomalies regarding possible violation of the human rights of girls, boys and adolescents generated investigations at the judicial and administrative level, which are currently ongoing reports La Prensa.

Mena, told La Prensa that the National Secretariat for Children and Adolescents (Senniaf) took the minors to the place. “The Senniaf, during this pandemic, had nowhere to keep them and approached our office in Veraguas and temporarily brought them, while they were located in other places,” he said.

According to the pastor, they were girls at social risk. He acknowledged that several of the adolescents escaped and that some were in the hands of the National Police.

Regarding the bruises and scratches that some of the minors allegedly presented, he indicated that it was the result of fights between themselves. “We are not in the habit of mistreating,” said Mena, who is aware that the Public Ministry is conducting an investigation into the events.

Asked why they accepted if they were aware that their facilities were not suitable he said: “They [Senniaf] knew that the center was not suitable for that and even so they decided to leave them [to the minors]. After this, we do not house any more minors.”,

Idania Fernández, from the Senniaf technical secretariat, said that in the face of Covid-19, they have had to “find spaces” for the care of children and adolescents, since many shelters are closed.

The National Police  finally removed the girls and adolescents from the shelter on May 18