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A tragic accident that occurred on Monday night in front of the Doña Alicia restaurant, at the busy corner of Reina and Belascoaín in Central Havana, shocked local residents and social media users.
According to multiple testimonies posted on Facebook, a minor, identified by neighbors as "El Bote," was reportedly struck by a car while allegedly begging for money in the doorways of the mentioned establishment.
The user on Facebook identified as 'Saúl Manuel' was the first to share the unfortunate news. “They say a car just ran over one of the children who were asking for money at the entrances of the Doña Alicia Restaurant, on Reina and Belascoaín, in Centro Habana. Witnesses report that, sadly, he passed away, and he was around 11 or 12 years old,” he reported.
The incident occurred around 7:30 p.m., according to a supposed witness identified as Boris Agustín Osorio. Several users expressed their sorrow over the event in posts where they claimed the boy was between 11 and 12 years old and was often seen in the area asking for donations.
"The deceased boy was from my neighborhood; we all knew him. They called him 'El Bote'," wrote Jean Carlos Amore. Others like Yassiel Vigo and Víctor Manuel González confirmed having seen him around the traffic light at the Hermanos Amejeiras Hospital, asking for help from passersby and drivers.
Carmencita La Currita, a Facebook user who claimed to be close to the family, reported that she knew the child's mother and noted that the child's situation was marked by abandonment and a lack of protection.
“He experienced abandonment and neglect... and sadly, this child has suffered the consequences for mistakes that were not his own. Children are supposed to be protected by their guardians, who should ensure their well-being. But his mother apparently has issues with drugs and alcohol. She never saw anything wrong with her little boy being on the streets. She even attempted suicide... but she was stopped,” he noted in a comment.
The minor resided, according to various publications, in Campanario between Sitios and Peñalver, in the Los Sitios neighborhood. Neighbors indicated that his wake would be held at his home, that his mother was emotionally affected, and that the minor had a brother in prison. None of these comments could be confirmed by this editorial team.
Although there are no official reports at the moment, the case has sparked a wave of outrage over the social conditions that lead minors to wander the streets in search of money.
"The question is why that child was asking for money every day. Where were his parents? What are the authorities doing in the face of this sad reality?" reflected user Juan Rafael Méndez on social media.
The news sparked a public debate about child abandonment and the lack of action from the institutions responsible for the welfare of minors. The pain of a community intertwined with the denunciation of a social issue that, for many, recurs daily without effective responses.
At the time of writing this note, the state media and the authorities have not issued an official statement regarding the accident or the death of the minor.
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