The director of SENNIAF, Lilibeth Cárdenas Chanis, spoke without filters about what is happening inside the Tocumen Comprehensive Care Center. She stated that she will not cover anything up and that the situation comes from years ago, with poor procedures and files that are now being reviewed one by one. She explained that a mother came to the headquarters to claim her daughter, ensuring that she has the right to be returned to her parents.
She also detailed that amid these incidents, caregivers were locked in and barricaded, as some minors were carrying bladed weapons. The director acknowledged that she does not have all the necessary tools. She assured that she has requested support from the Police, the Public Ministry, and other entities, but emphasized that the situation is not only the responsibility of SENNIAF, but of the State in general.
Currently, there are about 15 children in the center, and from a group that had escaped, 10 have already returned. These children were immediately separated to avoid a greater tragedy. She also confirmed acts of violence among the minors themselves. She indicated that last Tuesday they had to rescue 10 children who were in grave danger, as other minors allegedly intended to burn them alive inside the cottages. The director pointed out that there is staff within the institution who hide information and hinder her work, warning that those who are not aligned with the protection of minors “will go”.
The situation, as she recounted, is critical. The most vulnerable minors, including some with disabilities, have been transferred to other shelters to prevent them from remaining at risk. Cárdenas Chanis insisted that the place is not a correctional facility, but a protection shelter, but admitted that there are minors who represent a risk to others. She added that a restructuring of the center is being evaluated, without ruling out stronger measures if the situation so requires. She mentioned the case of a girl who ended up with a beaten face, even with a broken nose, according to a video that reached her mother's hands.
