6-year-old girl and 8-year-old brother rescued, half-brother arrested
At the beginning of the year, Ecuadorian authorities were handed a disturbing lead: a thumb drive found abandoned on a bus near the Amazon region, which contained child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The team urgently needed to locate the survivors and put the person creating the CSAM behind bars. But pursuing justice in remote areas can be complex and costly. That’s when Ecuador’s National Police Cybercrimes Unit (CiberPOL) reached out for assistance to launch a coordinated rescue operation.
With the support of Our Rescue and in partnership with the Attorney General’s Office, two simultaneous missions were carried out on April 1, spanning two provinces in Ecuador. Law enforcement teams were deployed to Latacunga and Patuca. The joint effort included police officers, prosecutors, and members of Our Rescue teams across Latin America.
In Patuca, a military facility became the focal point of a search warrant. Our Rescue’s sponsored Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) K9 Samai helped identify three hidden electronic devices during the search. The suspect, an active-duty service member, was taken into custody at this location. Our Rescue supported this effort by funding and coordinating air and land transportation for law enforcement, evidence, and judicial personnel to ensure safe transfer across multiple provinces.
Meanwhile, the second team in Latacunga located two children, a six-year-old girl and her eight-year-old brother. They were found in the custody of their biological parents, who were devastated to learn that the perpetrator arrested at the military facility was the children’s half-brother. Law enforcement secured the location and seized relevant evidence from the home. Our Rescue’s survivor care team was present on the ground to support the children and their parents throughout the process, providing comfort items, food, and trauma-informed care. Team members read stories and stayed close to the children during legal procedures, helping ease the emotional weight of the situation.
After the operation, the suspect was transferred to a secure detention facility and charged with the production, possession and distribution of CSAM production, and for rape and exploitation of minors. Amongst the evidence seized there were files of the abuse happening while the suspect was wearing his military uniform.
This cross-border operation stretched from Ecuador’s southern border with Peru to its central provinces and showcased the strength of international and interagency teamwork. We were honored to coordinate transportation, support the survivors, and stand alongside law enforcement every step of the way. The lead prosecutor commended Our Rescue’s role, recognizing both the impact of the law enforcement support and the care provided to the children and their family.
Thank you for making this important work possible. You can donate today to support more operations and survivor care like this!