Chilean prosecutors have opened an investigation into a disturbing case involving an eight-year-old Bolivian girl who was sold by her grandmother and forced into a life of servitude in central Chile. The child, who had no legal identity documents and had never attended school, was subjected to severe mistreatment by the family who took her in, according to officials.
The sale reportedly occurred in Bolivia, where the girl’s grandmother handed her over to a couple in exchange for 350,000 Chilean pesos (approximately $353 USD). The family later brought the child across the border into Chile using unauthorized routes, settling in a makeshift home near the Claro River in the municipality of Rengo, located in the O’Higgins Region.
Rengo’s chief prosecutor, Osvaldo Yáñez, described the conditions the girl endured as harrowing. “She was denied food, physically abused, and often made to sleep outdoors,” Yáñez told local media. The child was forced to wake up at 4 a.m. each day to perform chores such as sweeping, making beds, and cleaning for the household, which lived in an informal settlement.
The investigation further revealed that the child was completely undocumented, with no official record of her birth in Bolivia or Chile. “This is a person who, in the eyes of government institutions, did not exist. Had she gone missing permanently, there would have been no way to track her,” Yáñez emphasized.
A turning point came when a neighbor noticed the child’s worsening condition. The girl, often seen wandering the area and begging for food, had visible signs of abuse. The neighbor eventually decided to intervene, taking the girl to Santiago and leaving her at a bus terminal before contacting the police to report the situation. “The neighbor saw her injuries over several days and had even been feeding her,” said Yáñez.
In July 2024, Chilean Carabineros (national police) found the girl following a missing persons report filed by her captors. Authorities placed her in a state-run juvenile care facility, where she remains under protective custody. According to Chile’s child advocacy system, she is now receiving appropriate care and support.
Law enforcement has since apprehended several individuals involved in the case. Among them is the girl’s grandmother, who now faces charges of human trafficking for the purpose of forced labor. She is currently being held in pre-trial detention. Investigators revealed that the grandmother had attempted to retrieve the girl from the state facility, reportedly to continue exploiting her. During questioning, she admitted to selling her granddaughter.
The National Institute of Human Rights in Chile has also filed a formal complaint, categorizing the case as human trafficking. The matter continues to be under investigation as authorities work to identify all parties responsible for the child’s exploitation.
This case has raised alarm among human rights organisations, highlighting ongoing vulnerabilities among undocumented children and the need for stronger protective systems across borders to prevent such abuses.
