An American man whose interaction with a young boy on a balcony in Bogotá was filmed and shared globally as apparent evidence of child sexual abuse has been fully cleared by Colombian authorities, who confirmed he was in fact helping the child who was choking, in a case that caused a violent mob reaction and has now put a three-year adoption process at risk.
The 36-year-old Texas man was taken into custody after a bystander filmed what she believed to be a sexual assault taking place on a balcony and began shouting. The footage spread rapidly on social media, prompting outrage and a confrontation involving an angry crowd that watched as he was taken away by police.
Colombian authorities have now conducted a full investigation and found no evidence of any wrongdoing. “Sexual violence against children is completely ruled out,” said Astrid Cáceres, director of the ICBF, Colombia’s institute for family welfare, in comments reported by Noticias Caracol, one of the country’s largest television broadcasters. The country’s top prosecutors issued a formal statement confirming that “all forensic, physical, and psychological tests; interviews and other expert analyses carried out, and the judicial police activities performed, showed that there was no sexual abuse or physical violence. There are no elements that indicate criminal conduct.” All three children in the man’s care were medically evaluated and tested.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro explained that the man had taken the boy out to the balcony because the child was choking. “It’s not very clear whether there was choking or not, but as far as we understand, the point is that the child got out to breathe,” prosecutors said, adding that the incident had begun with play involving objects and a conflict with the child’s sister. The man was released from police custody at around 1am, according to Noticias Caracol. The Daily Mail, which knows the man’s identity, has chosen not to publish his name as he has not been charged with any offence.
The case has now taken a further painful turn. Colombian officials confirmed that the man and his wife had been in the middle of a three-year adoption process for the three siblings, aged four, seven and 15. That process is now on hold, with officials acknowledging the couple may be having second thoughts following their ordeal. The 15-year-old girl had defended the couple to investigators, helping authorities understand what the man was being accused of and denying any wrongdoing had occurred. Adoption officials said the children already referred to the couple as mum and dad, and that “an emotional bond that exists… at this stage of the process they already call their adoptive family parents.” The five had already been through “a very important emotional process to get to know each other,” officials said.
