Mexican authorities arrest the couple behind the femicide of 7-year-old Fátima

On February 19 at 7:43 PM, Mexico City mayor Claudia Sheinbaum announced that Gladis Giovana Cruz Hernández and Mario Alberto Reyes Nájera , the two suspects accused of abducting , torturing , abusing , and murdering 7-year-old Fátima Cecilia had been arrested in the neighboring state of Mexico.

This morning, the local Prosecutor’s Office confirmed the two alleged criminals had been arrested in the Isidro Fabela municipality, in the state of Mexico . The two suspects and their three children fled Mexico City on February 12 and traveled to Isidro Fábela, where the alleged murderer has an aunt, who rented a home to them and later asked them to surrender themselves over to authorities.

Authorities also revealed that the inhabitants of the small town called the police after identifying Gladis Giovana Cruz Hernández and Mario Alberto Reyes Nájera .

The National Guard , Mexico City authorities and security forces from the state of Mexico arrested the two suspects, who tried to bribe them so they would not be arrested.

Authorities used a drone to monitor their activities and take pictures of them, which helped authorities to identify the alleged criminals .

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However, Fátima’s mother has said that she doesn’t think Gladis Giovana kidnapped, abused, and murdered her daughter since she’s her friend and said that “She lived here at my home, I don’t think she was capable, she has two little daughters and I never saw her mistreating them, that’s why I doubt she murdered my daughter. I didn’t know her husband and I don’t know why he would retaliate (sic) against my daughter.”

According to neighbors, Giovana left the home she shared with Fátima and her family after a fight and moved to the home where she and her husband allegedly held, abused, and murdered the little girl.

According to earlier reports, Fátima ’s mother and Gladis Giovana met at a party, where they were introduced by a mutual friend. They struck a friendship and Gladis Giovana rented a room at Fátima’s home for a while.

According to neighbors, Mario Alberto likes to party, drinks a lot, and does drugs . He’s a loner and a difficult person.

Meanwhile, Gladis Giovana sometimes sold food but she mostly stayed home. According to neighbors, she always wore the same white shoes and sweater, which she was wearing in the video where she can be seen abducting 7-year-old Fátima .

Early on February 21 , Mexico City’s government informed about the issue of the arrest warrants against Gladis Giovana Cruz Hernández and Mario Alberto Reyes Nájera , accused of the kidnap and femicide of 7-years-old Fátima.

Through its Twitter account, the Mexico City Attorney General’s Office informed that it is coordinating actions with the State of Mexico Attorney General’s Office to fulfill the arrest warrants against the two alleged responsibles for aggravated kidnap and femicide .

After receiving the arrest warrants against them, and after being taken from the State of Mexico to Mexico City , the alleged murderers were taken to their corresponding prisons.

Gladys Giovana is now at de Santa Martha Acatitla prison and Mario Alberto is at the Reclusorio Oriente .

Both of them were put in restricted access areas with video surveillance and personal monitoring .

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