24/06/2026 15:24 - Judiciales
The death of Thiago Altamirano, a toddler only 2 years old, has left the city of Salta in northern Argentina in shock and raises serious questions about child protection systems. Salta is a province in northwestern Argentina, known for its mountainous landscapes and colonial architecture. The little boy died after being rushed in critical condition to the Materno Infantil Hospital (Children's and Maternity Hospital), where he arrived without vital signs. What was initially reported as an accidental fall soon revealed a much darker reality.
Marta, the paternal grandmother, expressed with deep sorrow: "We had been reporting it since 2025 and they did nothing". According to her account, both she and her husband practically raised Thiago and his younger brother, a 10-month-old baby. She stated that the mother, identified as M.M. (19 years old), struggled with addiction and alcoholism—a situation they had reported to authorities. About three months ago, they lost contact with the children after the mother filed a complaint against the father.
The paternal grandfather was even more emphatic: he claimed to have made three formal complaints during 2025 warning that his grandson was in danger. He harshly questioned the work of the social worker assigned to the case: "The social worker said they would visit, but I don't know what reports they presented in court, it's all lies. Otherwise, my grandson would be alive", he lamented with helplessness.
A mediation hearing regarding child custody had been scheduled for Friday, but the mother failed to appear.
The case was assigned to the Graves Atentados contra las Personas (Serious Crimes Against Persons Unit), which works to determine how the injuries that caused the child's death occurred. The mother, M.M., and her partner, 32, were detained as primary suspects.
Thiago was first taken to Hospital Papa Francisco and then transferred to Hospital Materno Infantil due to the severity of his condition. Doctors detected internal injuries and other signs consistent with physical abuse, contradicting the initial story of a fall from a bed.
After the tragedy, the grandparents went to the Secretaría de Primera Infancia, Niñez y Familia (Secretary of Early Childhood, Youth and Family)—a government body responsible for child welfare in Argentina—to request protection for Thiago's younger brother, only 10 months old. "We don't want another Thiago", they urged with desperation.
This tragic case highlights the failures in child protection mechanisms in Argentina and the urgent need for more effective responses to family warnings about at-risk situations. In Argentina, the Defensoría de los Derechos de los Niños (Ombudsman for Children's Rights) and social workers are supposed to intervene when children face danger at home. Justice must now clarify the facts and determine responsibilities, while the family cries out for justice and demands that such a painful story never repeats itself.
Source: Local reporting from Salta, Argentina. The case remains under investigation by provincial judicial authorities.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
