Hunt for girl, 5, ‘bundled into suitcase and kidnapped’ from hotel in Italy
Police in Italy are searching for a five-year-old Peruvian girl allegedly bundled into a suitcase and kidnapped from a hotel 10 days ago.
Kataleya Mia Chicillo Alvarez disappeared from the former Astor Hotel in Florence – where around 140 migrants have been squatting – on June 10.
CCTV footage shows her playing on some steps by a courtyard in the building at 3.12pm before she vanished.
Police are working on the theory she was bundled into a trunk or suitcase and taken out of one of the two exits of the hotel, reports the Daily Mail.
They cleared the building of its occupants on Saturday – who were found to be living there illegally – and have been scouring the premises for evidence.
Officers also searched another building nearby and a garage, suspecting she may have been moved there temporarily.
Anti-mafia police are thought to be involved in the investigation.
Kataleya’s family lived together in a room in the former hotel, which according to reports, has been occupied by migrants since September last year. The family moved to Italy when she was six months old.
There have been several violent incidents at the hotel recently, including an attack on an Ecuadorian man, who reportedly jumped from the third floor to avoid a gang armed with knives.
Kataleya’s parents, Kathrina Alvarez and Miguel Angel Romero, attended a church service in Via Lulli, near the hotel, to pray for the safe return of their daughter.
A letter from the priest of the parish, Father Juan Manuel Núñez Rubio, chaplain of the Latin American community in Florence, announced that Cadinal Giuseppe Betori has asked people to pray for the missing child, La Repubblica reported.
The chaplain said: ‘This disappearance has mobilised many people full of good will who courageously committed themselves from the first moment they learned of the disappearance, gathered together and began the search.
‘This disappearance saddened not only the Peruvians present in Florence, but also the whole Florentine community, even from abroad, in particular from Peru.
‘We welcome once again the invitation that Cardinal Giuseppe Betori has addressed to all the parishes of the diocese of Florence to pray for the return of our Kataleya.’
Miguel had been in prison for theft and credit card fraud at the time of the disappearance, but was released on Tuesday on the condition he visit the local police station twice a week.
He admitted he’s had ‘problems’ at the former hotel previously but added: ‘I don’t think it’s this thing, I can’t believe they are involving a little girl.
‘Maybe for extortion, I don’t know, I don’t have to judge, God will judge but my little girl has nothing to do with it. I don’t want any more problems with anyone, I love my family.’
Kathrina, meanwhile, was taken to hospital after ingesting bleach.
She was discharged on Wednesday and said: ‘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 have been taking to the streets with placards demanding the Kataleya is returned.
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