A Canadian woman was reportedly arrested in Mexico after allegedly trying to abandon her children in Cancun.
According to a report from Mexican daily Riviera Maya News, witnesses saw the woman leave two children on a busy street corner in the tourist hot spot last week.
One of the kids is a toddler under three, and the other is an infant.
Police were notified and arrested the woman. They contacted officials from the Specialized Group for Attention to Domestic and Gender Violence to locate the children who are currently in care.
The mother allegedly told police that she left her kids because she didn’t have the “financial means to take care of them,” noted Riviera Maya News.
Several local Mexican websites have shared the following mugshot of the woman.
Riviera Maya News
Marisol Sendo Rodríguez, the director of the National System for Integral Family Development in Cancun, told the publication that both girls are in protective care and an investigation is ongoing.
She noted that the children did not show any signs of abuse and that “corresponding procedures are being carried out” to ensure their safety.
In an emailed statement to Daily Hive, Global Affairs Canada said it is “aware of a situation in Mexico involving a Canadian family.”
The agency added that consular officials in Mexico are in contact with local authorities to collect more information.
Consular assistance is also being provided to the family.
“Due to privacy considerations, no further information can be disclosed,” concluded Global Affairs.
The agency did not confirm whether the family involved is linked to the incident reported by Riviera Maya News.
Daily Hive has contacted Mexico’s national public security department and the National System for Integral Family Development for more information. We will update this piece when we receive further comments.