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| ‘Screaming in terror’: teen survivor relives ordeal of Guatemala children’s shelter fire | ‘Screaming in terror’: teen survivor relives ordeal of Guatemala children’s shelter fire |
| (17 days later) | |
| There was so much smoke that Estefani Sotoj Hernández couldn’t see anything. But she could hear the screams as girls struggled to escape the flames that engulfed the Virgen de la Asunción children’s home. | There was so much smoke that Estefani Sotoj Hernández couldn’t see anything. But she could hear the screams as girls struggled to escape the flames that engulfed the Virgen de la Asunción children’s home. |
| “[The fire] was really small at first, and then it got really big and there was so much smoke,” says Estefani. “I was very afraid. Everybody was screaming in terror. You couldn’t tell what was happening to your body. It was really hot and many [of the girls] lost consciousness, others were burning.” | “[The fire] was really small at first, and then it got really big and there was so much smoke,” says Estefani. “I was very afraid. Everybody was screaming in terror. You couldn’t tell what was happening to your body. It was really hot and many [of the girls] lost consciousness, others were burning.” |
| Sitting in a hotel in Guatemala City last month, dressed in black leggings and a grey hoodie pulled close to cover her scars, the 15-year-old recounts the night in March when a fire at the government-run children’s shelter in San José Pinula, about 15 miles from the capital, killed 41 girls. | Sitting in a hotel in Guatemala City last month, dressed in black leggings and a grey hoodie pulled close to cover her scars, the 15-year-old recounts the night in March when a fire at the government-run children’s shelter in San José Pinula, about 15 miles from the capital, killed 41 girls. |
| It emerged that 56 girls had been locked inside a room measuring 6.8 metres by 7 metres as punishment for organising a protest the day before against cramped conditions and abuse by staff. More than 700 children lived at the home, which had capacity for 400-500. | It emerged that 56 girls had been locked inside a room measuring 6.8 metres by 7 metres as punishment for organising a protest the day before against cramped conditions and abuse by staff. More than 700 children lived at the home, which had capacity for 400-500. |
| The fire, which began in the early hours, sparked angry demonstrations in the capital over the government’s failure to protect young people in its care. Complaints about abuse at the centre had been made, but not followed up. A month before the fire, Guatemala’s human rights commission had asked for it to be closed. | The fire, which began in the early hours, sparked angry demonstrations in the capital over the government’s failure to protect young people in its care. Complaints about abuse at the centre had been made, but not followed up. A month before the fire, Guatemala’s human rights commission had asked for it to be closed. |
| The protest began on the roof, Estefani told the Guardian, with the girls determined to “make a lot of noise”. “We were protesting because we were fed up with conditions under which they held us. They were humiliating conditions. They beat us, there was abusive treatment and we wanted out, that’s why we did it.” | The protest began on the roof, Estefani told the Guardian, with the girls determined to “make a lot of noise”. “We were protesting because we were fed up with conditions under which they held us. They were humiliating conditions. They beat us, there was abusive treatment and we wanted out, that’s why we did it.” |
| When Estefani lost her balance and fell, she was taken to the hospital, arriving back at the shelter in the early hours when she was locked in the room with the other girls. | When Estefani lost her balance and fell, she was taken to the hospital, arriving back at the shelter in the early hours when she was locked in the room with the other girls. |
| There were mattresses on the floor, but she couldn’t remember seeing any pillows or sheets. And it was a cold night. Estefani says she didn’t know what started the blaze, but the girls were angry about being locked in. “I didn’t see anyone set fire or light a match,” she says. | There were mattresses on the floor, but she couldn’t remember seeing any pillows or sheets. And it was a cold night. Estefani says she didn’t know what started the blaze, but the girls were angry about being locked in. “I didn’t see anyone set fire or light a match,” she says. |
| Initially, three people – the former minister of social welfare, his deputy and the director of the shelter – were charged with negligent homicide, abuse of power and mistreatment of minors. In June, three government officials and two police officers were also charged. | Initially, three people – the former minister of social welfare, his deputy and the director of the shelter – were charged with negligent homicide, abuse of power and mistreatment of minors. In June, three government officials and two police officers were also charged. |
| Lawyers are now trying to remove president Jimmy Morales’ immunity from prosecution while in office, so that he can also be held accountable. “The president contributed to the explosion. He lit the match,” says Edgar Pérez, director of Bufete Jurídico de Derechos Humanos en Guatemala (The Guatemalan Human Rights Law Firm). Pérez was involved in the historic case that led to the genocide trial of former Guatemalan president Efraín Ríos Montt. | Lawyers are now trying to remove president Jimmy Morales’ immunity from prosecution while in office, so that he can also be held accountable. “The president contributed to the explosion. He lit the match,” says Edgar Pérez, director of Bufete Jurídico de Derechos Humanos en Guatemala (The Guatemalan Human Rights Law Firm). Pérez was involved in the historic case that led to the genocide trial of former Guatemalan president Efraín Ríos Montt. |
| “This was a shelter for minors who are having difficulties in their homes or behavioural problems … It was a shelter for those children where they could be held and returned to their families … It was supposedly a safe place for these children. [The shelter] should have been protecting these children, but started to take advantage of their vulnerability,” he says. “Fifty-six girls in that space, just imagine the conditions.” | “This was a shelter for minors who are having difficulties in their homes or behavioural problems … It was a shelter for those children where they could be held and returned to their families … It was supposedly a safe place for these children. [The shelter] should have been protecting these children, but started to take advantage of their vulnerability,” he says. “Fifty-six girls in that space, just imagine the conditions.” |
| Estefani managed to fight her way out the room. Somehow, eventually, the door was opened. She lost consciousness. She woke up thousands of miles away in a hospital in Texas, where a number of girls had been flown for treatment. She was there for two weeks. With serious burns to her face and body, she lost fingers on both hands. | Estefani managed to fight her way out the room. Somehow, eventually, the door was opened. She lost consciousness. She woke up thousands of miles away in a hospital in Texas, where a number of girls had been flown for treatment. She was there for two weeks. With serious burns to her face and body, she lost fingers on both hands. |
| Now living with her family again, Estefani is receiving support from a local NGO. But life is tough. “The truth is it’s really hard to keep my spirits up and to even keep my head up after all this,” she says. “This was very traumatic.” | Now living with her family again, Estefani is receiving support from a local NGO. But life is tough. “The truth is it’s really hard to keep my spirits up and to even keep my head up after all this,” she says. “This was very traumatic.” |
| But then she adds: “I do have hope justice will be done and that those of us who survived this massacre will have a just life, and we will have what we need to overcome this.” | But then she adds: “I do have hope justice will be done and that those of us who survived this massacre will have a just life, and we will have what we need to overcome this.” |
| Liz Ford travelled with the Nobel Women’s Initiative and Jass (Just Associates) | Liz Ford travelled with the Nobel Women’s Initiative and Jass (Just Associates) |