The Argentine forensics team submitted its autopsy conclusions Monday about the only Ayotzinapa student's body, found in September 2014, finding he was brutally tortured before dying, coinciding with his family's claims against the government's allegations.
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The conclusions, handed into a local court in Guerrero state, agreed partially with the report issued on the same day by the Mexican Human Rights Commission that 22-year-old Julio Cesar Mondragon had 64 fractures in 40 bones, mostly in his skull, face and spine.
The new autopsy however found more injuries on the body that had not been reported in the first one, and confirmed the student was tortured, saying the “serious” fractures in the skull occurred “around the time of death,” without finding any injury due to firearms.
The Argentine experts also found that the boy died as a result of the traumatic brain injury inflicted by a blunt force weapon, while acknowledging fauna's teeth marks inflicted after the death. But the Human Rights Commission denied the existence of a blunt force weapon, blaming it all on animals.
Nevertheless, both teams called upon federal authorities to investigate further the case including the torture allegations, just as the family of Mondragon and its legal team have demanded for almost two years, claiming they had evidence the student had been tortured while still alive.
The family and its attorney have accused the Guerrero state and federal authorities of trying to downplay his murder, claiming it may implicate further participation by the government.
The Human Rights Commission urged the state to probe all suspects involved for torture. Mondragon's case was so far investigated in a local court — apart from the 43 disappeared students — but with allegations of torture, federal prosecutors would likely have to take up the case, they said.
Among the 28 suspects accused of Mondragon's death is the former mayor of Iguala, Jose Luis Abarca. Another suspect was an official with the local Civil Protection Agency. Almost two years after the murder, none of them has been brought to trial yet.