Missing Mexican University Student Found Dead... Last Photo on Highway at Midnight

Found Dead 13 Days After Disappearance
Increase in Missing and Murdered Mexican Women

Debanhi Escobar last photographed on the highway just before disappearance / Photo by Instagram (@debanhi.escobar) capture

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Nayeon] A Mexican university student who disappeared after a photo taken on a highway late at night has been found dead after 13 days.

On the 21st (local time), the prosecutor's office of Nuevo Le?n in northern Mexico announced that Mexican university student Devani Escobar (18) was found dead.

The widespread fear and anger among Mexican women over crimes targeting women are growing even stronger.

Escobar was found not far from the highway where she was last seen alive.

Escobar, a law major university student, disappeared on the night of the 8th. After hanging out with friends, she took a taxi alone to go home but got off alone on the highway midway.

A photo taken by the taxi driver who dropped her off captured Escobar standing precariously alone on the deserted highway late at night.

Escobar's father claimed that after authorities analyzed CCTV footage that day, it was revealed that the taxi driver attempted to sexually harass Escobar, and she got off because she could not endure it.

Escobar's whereabouts after getting off the taxi have not been confirmed. No suspects, including the taxi driver, have been arrested in connection with this case.

Escobar's father said, "My daughter died because of the incompetence of the authorities and because of sexual harassers."

The Escobar case vividly shows the seriousness of the increasing crimes against women in Mexico and has sparked public outrage.

According to a recent report by the local daily Reforma, seven women disappear every day this year and have yet to return. Women found dead after going missing are also increasing.

The United Nations Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) recently released a report on the disappearance situation in Mexico, expressing concern that "the disappearance of boys, girls, and women aged 12 and over is noticeably increasing."

In Mexico, femicide cases?murders of women because of their gender?and disappearances of women are increasing, with the number steadily rising over the past few years, exceeding 1,000 cases last year.

The Nuevo Le?n prosecutor's office, during a large-scale search operation using drones and detection dogs after Escobar's disappearance, also found the bodies of five other missing women.

Victims' families and women's organizations criticized the authorities for failing to properly investigate cases or punish perpetrators and for insufficient measures to prevent the increasing crimes against women.

Mexican President Andr?s Manuel L?pez Obrador expressed condolences for Escobar's death at a press conference on the 22nd and declared his determination to punish the perpetrator.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.