‘Child abuse’ victim laid to rest

AMID calls for justice, the 5-year-old girl who died for alleged maltreatment was laid to rest yesterday at Mandaue City public cemetery.

The heavy downpour did not stop close to a hundred of people from attending the funeral of Kate Arianne Chu Flores.

Kate fell ill and died last July 27 after two weeks of hospital confinement.

According to the death certificate, Kate died of “sepsis and post-traumatic stress disorder secondary to child abuse.”

The girl’s father, Arthur, said the family will continue to fight for justice and is hoping for the immediate arrest of his former live-in partner Abigael Catindijan, 18.

Catindijan is seven months pregnant.

The filing of charges against Catindijan was moved today after one of the witnesses got sick, said Chief Insp. Elmer Fernandez, chief of Centro police station.

After the burial, Arthur went to the police station to inform that one of the witnesses was unavailable for the filing of physical injury with homicide and child abuse charges against Catindijan.

Fernandez said some witnesses are already hesitant to testify but this could not be a problem since there are other witnesses willing to cooperate.