A child in Quintana Roo died last week from injuries sustained from the ingestion of hydrochloric acid just a day before her mother won back custody of her.

Kimberly Berenice Chi Bautista, 8, died on Tuesday, February 18 from septic shock and acid burns on her esophagus.

Authorities in Cancún are looking for the girl’s father, identified as José Chi, and stepmother, whose identity has not been released. The latter is believed to have forced Kimberly to drink the poisonous substance. Both are considered fugitives.

The girl’s mother, Rocío del Carmen Bautista Maldonado, says that Chi abandoned her and Kimberly to go live with another woman. He later filed for custody, and Bautista lost guardianship of her daughter in June of last year.

She had been petitioning the courts to win back custody since then, and was finally awarded it the day after her daughter was pronounced dead. She was made aware of the girl’s death when she went to pick her up from state authorities.

Bautista accused the girl’s father of being responsible for her death. Kimberly’s body showed several signs of physical abuse, and neighbors had told Bautista that they were aware of the girl being beaten continually.

She also claimed that her complaints against Chi had not been processed earlier due to corruption and nepotism in his favor within the state Attorney General’s Office.

Sources: El Financiero (sp), Diario de Yucatán (sp)