A heartbreaking incident occurred at the Hospital General of Zone No.18 IMSS in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, resulting in the death of a six-year-old girl, Aitana Betzabe Domingues Castillo. Aitana had been hospitalized due to contracting the dengue virus and was supposed to be discharged on the day of the incident.
According to reports, a hospital worker was in the process of wheeling Aitana into the elevator on a stretcher when the elevator suddenly started moving. The employee claimed that the lift’s sensor failed to detect that the girl’s legs were still partially outside, resulting in her being crushed between the elevator and the wall.
Aitana’s parents, Patricio Domínguez and Deimy Castillo, were present during the rescue efforts that lasted for several minutes. Local reports indicate that she may have been trapped for as long as 30 minutes before being freed with the help of hydraulic equipment. Rescuers had to break part of the wall to extract the young victim.
The hospital spokesperson stated that elevator maintenance is outsourced to an external company, without specifying which one. The hospital has expressed condolences to the family and is cooperating with authorities in the investigation to ensure transparency.
The State Attorney General’s Office has detained a person in connection with the incident, and the exact cause is still under investigation. Alejandro Contreras Díaz, the chief of the Playa del Carmen Fire Department, described the scene as one he had never encountered before in his 16 years of service, expressing concerns about the structural integrity of the elevator.
The funeral for Aitana took place on July 12, and the hospital has filed a criminal complaint against the company responsible for elevator maintenance. The investigation into this tragic incident is ongoing.
