Parents uncover 1,600 children's baby teeth at hill in Michoacán amid rising mass graves
A group of parents searching for missing relatives discovered 1,600 baby teeth on a hill near Zacapu, Michoacán, linking the site to numerous clandestine mass graves.
Parents of missing persons, organized under the name “Searching for bodies throughout Mexico,” have uncovered 1,600 baby teeth on a hill in Zacapu, western Michoacán. Margarita López, who heads the group, attributes the teeth to children kidnapped by gangs for sexual or organ trade. The Michoacán Public Prosecutor's Office has verified the presence of a mass burial site but declined to specify how many individuals are buried.
The group’s earlier protests, including a two-week sit-in in Mexico City demanding DNA testing, have not produced results. Researchers from the Universidad Iberoamericana note a rise in clandestine graves across the country, often identified by desperate families. Prior mass-grave finds in the state have revealed remains of at least 375 people.
Why it matters
The find highlights Mexico's growing crisis of hidden mass graves and the challenges families face in obtaining answers.
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