Mother of children killed in fire in critical condition

Karen Flores

Karen Flores, 29 years old, remains since last Monday in the hospital Luis Vernaza, where she was transferred after she was admitted to the hospital of the IESS, in which she received medical attention after the fire that took the lives of her five children, which would have presumably been caused by Gabriel Murillo, her partner, what makes her part of the statistics that reflect that Ecuadorian women who have experienced some type of violence by their partners or former partners are 48.7%, according to the National Institute of statistics and censuses (INEC).

According to a statement issued by the hospital, the woman is in the intensive care unit with a diagnosis of intoxication by secondary carbon monoxide, and smoke inhalation, as well as first degree burns in the back of the left hand and a linear fracture on the right fibula, likewise, the statement  indicated that she remains in unstable clinical condition.

The situation of Karen is product of a series of attacks by her  partner, although according to neighbors she also suffered the violence of her former cohabitants. According to the INEC, more than 50% of women suffers violence after giving birth the third child.

The Department of Domestic violence (Devif) of  thePolice confirmed this information, after knowing that the woman had already reported in 2006 the abuse of Roberto Rodríguez, father of María Clara, Melanie and Dylan, and then a similar complaint  in 2011 against Arturo Cevallos, progenitor of Geovana and Derek, but the victim never ended the police assistance programme.

This morning the Mayor of the city, Jaime Nebot, attended the burial of the children, to express his condolences and offer help to the families, thus reported by Ecuavisa trough Televistazo news broadcast.