Remains of Santiago Cancino, a young trans man who disappeared 4 years ago in Salta, have been found
The young man was 14 when he disappeared and had reported bullying on his social networks by the school and his classmates.
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Santiago Cancinos was last seen on May 16, 2017, in Bicentennial Park, in the northern part of the city of Salta. That day he had left his house around 3 p.m. to go to a physical education class at Belgrano School, but when an aunt saw him he had already changed out of his sports clothes and was wearing jeans, a black sweatshirt, and a cap.
Santiago usually returned around 6 p.m. When he didn't come back, his family started looking for him, with the difficulty that he didn't have a cell phone because he had lost it a month ago.
Since then, the search has been carried out by every means possible. Her family and friends put up posters throughout the city, petitioned the state to offer a reward, and conducted sweeps in various parts of the city and its surroundings, all without success.
On Thursday, June 3, in the Wierna River area, in the town of Vaqueros (north of the city of Salta), a day laborer and his son found bone remains and some belongings of Santiago.
Access to the exact location where the remains were found is at kilometer 12.5 of National Route 9, the old mountain road to Jujuy. Following the discovery, the site was cordoned off and placed under police guard. The Public Prosecutor's Office reported that searches for further evidence will be conducted this Monday.
When he disappeared, the young man was 14 years old. He was searched for using his birth name: the justice system justified its inaction by stating that he had not changed his legal documents, even though the gender identity law establishes that this is not necessary to respect one's identity.
Although few in number, the remains found included a skull, which was crucial in confirming the identity by comparing the teeth with those in the search file. With this information, the Public Prosecutor's Office of Salta confirmed that the remains are indeed those of Santiago Cancinos.
At a press conference held on Friday, the director of the Salta Fiscal Investigations Unit (CIF), Pablo Rivero, indicated that through dental records and the IPS health insurance database, they were able to verify "all the fillings, tooth extractions, and tooth characteristics," adding, "The dental confirmation gives us a 100% certainty of identity." Furthermore, DNA testing has been ordered. The investigation will now attempt to determine the date and cause of death, about which various speculations are circulating.
Prosecutor Santiago López Soto, who had been in charge of the investigation since 2019 along with his colleague Ramiro Ramos Ossorio, said that it was a chance discovery made by a local resident who, along with his son, was clearing brush on a hillside leading down from the hill to the Wierna River. They also found a shoe and the backpack.
Javier Cancinos, the teenager's father, confirmed on Friday that his son had been found: "With my deepest sorrow I confirm that my sweet and beloved son/daughter has been found, and I thank all the people who accompanied us during these difficult 4 years," he stated on his Facebook profile.
What happened to Santiago?
“Starting today, we will begin analyzing all the evidence we have found,” stated Mónica Poma, the prosecutor of the Femicide Unit, on Friday. She will now be involved in the case. She added that “there is a lot of evidence” to analyze and assured that “there is no deadline” for answering the remaining questions about Santiago’s fate.
The prosecutor also addressed the teenager's gender identity. "I believe my joining the prosecution team is also related to that, to provide some perspective on this issue. We understand that this is the case, that it's a reality, and we will respect it," she stated.
The search for Santiago was one of the demands of the mobilization held on June 3rd under the slogan “Not One Less.” June 3rd was the first time posters with the boy's photo and Santiago's name were seen.
This last name emerged from a post by Uruguayan influencer Fede Anto Puñales, who last January claimed that shortly before disappearing the teenager had contacted him to say that he wanted to be searched for with that name: Santiago.
March to demand justice
On Saturday afternoon, women and LGBTQ+ individuals gathered in the central Plaza 9 de Julio and then marched to protest, holding the state and provincial government responsible for the delay in finding Santiago. The gathering was organized by leftist and women's groups and was not attended by the teenager's family. A virtual assembly has been called for this Monday to establish a commission to monitor the progress of the legal case and determine the cause of death.
At Saturday's march, some young people recalled that the teenager used to play pretending to be called Nico, and that he was bullied at school, especially during religious gatherings, because the priests tried to convince him not to claim his true identity. After his disappearance, the school confirmed this tension: counselor Mariano Rojas recorded a video in which he spoke to him about the "parable of the prodigal son who made a mistake and returned," ending by telling him they were waiting for him. The video sparked a wave of criticism that prompted a clarification from school authorities.
Shortly before disappearing, the teenager posted messages on his Twitter account about his identity, mentioning difficulties he was having with his family, at school, and with his friends. His last two messages were: “Why should I do my homework if I won’t be around soon?” and “Bye.”
The account was closed after his disappearance.
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