A 36-year-old American tourist from Texas, whose arrest overalleged child abuse in Bogotátriggered widespread outrage, has been fully exonerated and released without charge after a forensic investigation proved a viral video actually captured a father attempting to save his choking son.
The footage, filmed from a neighbouring building and spread rapidly across social media, initially prompted alarm and led police to detain the man. However, authorities formally ruled out the allegedsexual abuse, with prosecutors confirming that the evidence gathered did not support the severe online allegations.
The incident unfolded on Sunday, 14 June, at a residential flat in an upscale northern Bogotá neighbourhood, rapidly escalating into an international scandal. What was initially misinterpreted as a severe case of child abuse was captured on a mobile phone video and shared online, amassing millions of views across social media platforms within hours and triggering a wave of global outrage.
#Advertencia⚠ Contenido MUY SENSIBLE. Se recomienda discreción.Ciudadanos alertaron a la comunidad con gritos tras presenciar un caso de abuso infantil a plana luz del día sobre un balcón sobre la calle 106A con carrera 19A, en el norte de Bogotá, Colombia.Visita…pic.twitter.com/S7eqO9peif
In the footage, a frantic neighbour can be heard screaming at the man, desperately demanding that he stop what he was doing to the young boy. The distressing audio prompted terrified onlookers to contact emergency services.
Police officers responded to the scene and detained the American citizen as authorities began investigating the circumstances captured in the video. The case rapidly gained traction both in Colombia and internationally, fuelled by widespread concern over the welfare of the child involved.
🚨👶Presunto abusador de menores capturado en Bogotá: fue sorprendido abusando de un niño de 6 años en un balcón; al ingresarlo a su apartamento, se encontraron otros 2 menores.Se encuentra detenido y se sigue esperando el informe completo.#Bogotá#Denuncia#ConLosNiñosNO…pic.twitter.com/HXdQAdKuyq
Local police units responded to the scene and detained the American citizen as authorities launched an immediate investigation into the circumstances captured in the video. Bogotá Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán later confirmed the arrest, stating publicly that there was 'no room for mistreatment or abuse of boys and girls' in the capital.
During the raid, law enforcement discovered three minors in the flat, aged four, seven, and 15, who were immediately transferred to a medical centre for comprehensive clinical evaluations. Reports indicated that thechildren may have been adoptedby the Texas man, which is how they came to be in his custody.
As reported byCBS News, the Colombian Family Welfare Institute director, Astrid Cáceres, said, 'The National Institute of Legal Medicine confirmed that there had been no sexual violence.' Adding that any form of sexual violence was 'ruled out' against all three children.
Source: International Business Times UK
