Edwin Reinaldo Rodríguez Cruz turns himself in amid the search for the minor Yoneli Álvarez
The case that has the Santiago community on edge has taken a significant turn. Edwin Reinaldo Rodríguez Cruz, 29, presented himself to the authorities to provide his testimony regarding the disappearance of 14-year-old teenager Yoneli Álvarez, who has been missing for several days.
Rodríguez Cruz was intensely sought after appearing in security camera footage from a gas station. In said images, the man is seen with two minors shortly before the group moved toward the vicinity of the bridge over the Yaque del Norte River, on the route that connects to the municipality of Navarrete.
Detainee version details
Upon appearing before the authorities, the young man admitted to having been with the teenagers, but offered a particular version of the events. According to his account, the minors boarded his vehicle near a bakery under the pretext of buying groceries. Subsequently, the group headed to the vicinity of the Yaque del Norte river.
She really left, the dark-haired girl, but the other one threw herself into the river.
Statement by Edwin Reinaldo Rodríguez Cruz to the authorities.
Rodríguez Cruz maintained that one of the young women managed to leave the scene on her own, while, according to his testimony, Yoneli Álvarez threw herself into the river’s waters. The detainee also addressed the accusations circulating regarding the use of bladed weapons during the incident, insisting that, initially, the minors accompanied him voluntarily.
Ongoing research and search efforts
The authorities have indicated that Rodríguez Cruz’s statements are only one part of the investigative process. This data must be rigorously cross-referenced with the collected evidence, the testimonies of the other minor involved, and the visual records obtained during the investigation.
- Rodríguez Cruz remains in police custody while the facts are being clarified.
- The case is being investigated for possible crimes of sexual abuse and other charges that may be determined as the judicial process progresses.
- Relief agencies and family members continue search efforts in the Yaque del Norte River to locate the missing teenager.
The whereabouts of Yoneli Álvarez remain the focal point of this investigation, and authorities are maintaining search operations to determine what really happened in the area of the Navarrete bridge during that incident.
