The Argentine Police are investigating the disappearance of Loan Danilo Peña, a five-year-old boy who went missing from his home in 9 de Julio, Corrientes, on June 13.
Initially, the search was focused on the area where Loan was last seen, with relatives reporting that he had gone to look for oranges in “El Algarrobal”. However, the case took a dramatic turn in recent hours.
A local municipal official, her partner, and a police commissioner were arrested and charged with kidnapping after forensic reports linked them to the crime. The arrests followed the discovery of bloodstains in one of the official’s vehicles, and sniffer dogs tracked the scent of the missing boy to her car.
According to the investigation, the couple allegedly took Loan to the province of Chaco, where they handed him over to a third party. None of the detained individuals could provide a convincing explanation for the trip.
The official had visited Loan’s grandmother’s house just before his disappearance, while the commissioner had been leading the search operation from the beginning.
The investigation has now been reclassified as a case of human trafficking, as an intense search in the area turned up no signs of Loan’s presence. Three additional individuals, including Loan’s uncle and two others, have been charged with abandoning a person.
