The mother of the 2-year-old boy who allegedly died at the hands of his 16-year-old female neighbor in Concepcion, Tarlac, is calling for justice.
The body of the victim identified as Axel Castro was laid to rest on Tuesday morning, Nov. 29.
"Basta pagdusahan niya ang ginawa niya sa anak ko. Ang Diyos na ang bahala sa kanya," Axel’s mother Liezel Castro said in an interview during DZRH's Dos por Dos.
Liezel recalled that she was at work when her family informed her that Axel was missing on Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 23. She said the suspect even joined them when they were searching for her son.
“Kasama namin siya maghanap sa anak ko para siguro hindi siya paghinalaan,” she shared.
“Diyan kami, ikot-ikot. Umiiyak ako. Sinasabi niya, 'Okay lang 'yan, makikita n'yo.' May tiwala ako sa bata na hindi niya gagawin sa edad na 'yon. Bakit ko pag-iisipan kung alam kong kasama namin siya,” Liezel added.
Axel’s dead body was found inside the room of the suspect a day after.
His body was filled with wounds and he had a gag on the mouth, according to earlier reports.
A Concepcion police said the female teenager offered Axel a lollipop and asked him to go with her inside her house. But when Axel started to cry and shout inside, the suspect then silenced him with a pillow.
"Nung sinabi nila na nandun nga sa kanila ang anak ko, inisip ko nakaupo lang siya, umiiyak ganon lang. Tapos pagkakuha sa kanya, wala na. Nawalan na ako ng pag-asa. Nakabalot siya nung kinuha ng Kuya ko," Liezel recalled.
Authorities said Liezel and the suspect quarreled on social media and they see this as the probable motive behind the child's killing.
However, Liezel denied that she fought back.
"Wala po akong pino-post [sa social media laban sa suspek]. Kung tutuusin, siya ang gumagawa nang ganun sa akin. Matagal na yun kaya hindi ko pinapansin at bata lang naman siya. Bakit ko siya papatulan?" she lamented.
The 16-year-old suspect is now in the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Police authorities said she would be transferred to jail custody when she reached the legal age of 18.
Murder raps have been filed against the suspect, authorities also reported earlier.
