5 Year Old Peruvian Girl Allegedly Kidnapped in Florence: Authorities Launch Investigation

In Italy, authorities are currently conducting a search for a five-year-old girl from Peru who was reportedly abducted by being stuffed into a suitcase from a hotel nearly two weeks ago.

The missing child, Kataleya Mia Chicillo Alvarez, vanished from the former Astor Hotel in Florence, which has been occupied by approximately 140 migrants, on June 10, 2023. Surveillance footage captured her playing on some steps within the building's courtyard at around 3:12 p.m. before she went missing.

According to the Daily Mail, police believe she was forcefully placed into a trunk or suitcase and taken through one of the hotel's two exits. As the hotel residents were living there unlawfully, law enforcement evacuated the premises on Saturday and have been searching for any potential evidence.

Police also conducted searches in a nearby building and a garage, suspecting that the girl may have been temporarily moved to those locations. In their efforts, officers even searched incinerators and garbage dumps, hoping to find any trace or sign of her.

Kataleya's family resided together in a room at the former hotel, which has reportedly been occupied by migrants since September of 2022. The family relocated to Italy when Kataleya was only six months old.

On Sunday, June 18, 2023 Kataleya's parents, Kathrina Alvarez and Miguel Angel Romero, attended a church service near the hotel on Via Lulli to pray for their daughter's safe return. Miguel had been incarcerated for theft and credit card fraud at the time of the disappearance but was released with the condition of regular visits to the local police station.

                             

A letter from Father Juan Manuel Núñez Rubio, the parish priest and chaplain of the Latin American community in Florence, revealed that Cardinal Giuseppe Betori had requested prayers for the missing child. 

The disappearance has deeply affected both the Peruvian community in Florence and the entire local community. People from abroad, particularly from Peru, have joined in the search efforts and demonstrations, as reported by La Repubblica.

Meanwhile, Kathrina was admitted to the hospital after ingesting bleach but was discharged on Wednesday. She expressed her determination to remain strong and continue the search, saying, "I'll be fine. Forgive me if, for a moment, I thought about giving up and losing hope. But now I'm stronger and I won't rest until I find you."

The Peruvian community has taken to the streets with placards, demanding the safe return of Kataleya.