Ferrer Ortiz Alayón, a Cuban described by his family as a hardworking individual, a good father, good son, and good brother, died in Centro Habana after being attacked by a group of people following a traffic accident, according to the report published on Facebook by his brother-in-law Darel Sosa.
The incident occurred on a Saturday in the evening. According to family accounts, after the crash, a group of people attacked Ferrer with various blunt objects, not giving him the chance to explain what had happened or to offer to take responsibility for the costs of the accident.
"The tough guys, the ones with the supposed codes, were so cowardly that they attacked him in a group with all kinds of blunt objects, and the final blow was the stone to the occipital bone," Darel Sosa wrote in his post.
The blow to the occipital region of the skull caused Ferrer to suffer a skull fracture and a severe concussion. Upon arriving at the hospital, doctors detected three clots in his head. He died less than two days after the incident.
But the family report does not only focus on the violence of the aggressors. It also points to an alleged police negligence that may have been crucial in the fatal outcome.
According to testimonies, Ferrer was taken to the Zanja police unit in Central Havana, where he remained for approximately 17 hours without receiving medical attention. The family claims that the officers may have interpreted his state of confusion as possible intoxication, failing to acknowledge the seriousness of his injuries.
"They locked up the boy, who suffered multiple traumas, for 17 hours without medical attention, a crucial period for a skull fracture with severe concussion," Sosa reported.
The situation worsened even further: some of the assailants lingered near the unit and even attempted to enter to continue attacking Ferrer. According to the family, it was necessary to evacuate him through the back of the premises to avoid the mob.
"It wasn't until they learned from a police officer with some compassion that the boy was in trouble, and even then, one police unit refused to confront the crowd and had to take him out from the back," recounted the victim's brother-in-law.
The relatives also report that those responsible for the beating were not identified, arrested, or subjected to toxicology tests, and that no action was taken against them.
Irma Broek, who amplified the outcry on social media, summarized the feelings of those demanding justice: "At what point did a traffic accident turn into a death sentence? A life cannot be worth less than the damage to a car."
The family of Ferrer Ortiz Alayón demands a transparent and independent investigation to determine the responsibilities of both the attackers and those who may have failed in their duty to assist a seriously injured person.
The case is situated within a context of increasing deterioration of public safety on the island. In February of this year, another crime with lynching characteristics was reported in Centro Habana, also resulting in two deaths.
In 2025, Cuba recorded 7,538 traffic accidents with 750 fatalities and 6,718 injuries, and in the first quarter of 2026, there were already 1,234 accidents with 153 dead.
Months ago, two people died in a traffic accident at the intersection of San Lázaro and Lealtad, in the Centro Habana municipality, following a series of collisions that involved a taxi, an electric tricycle, and a bici-taxi.
At the beginning of the year, in El Vedado, there was a tragic traffic accident at the intersection of Línea and 10, in El Vedado, Plaza de la Revolución municipality, Havana. A woman died after being struck by a bus.
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