Bodies likely missing trio: official
Mexican authorities say three bodies found in Baja California state are highly likely to be two Australian brothers and a friend who went missing in the area.
Regional officials confirmed the bodies were located on a cliff top in the Baja Peninsula, on Mexico’s west coast, on Saturday (local time). Forensic tests will be undertaken by the local laboratory to identify if the bodies are missing Perth siblings Callum and Jake Robinson, the Baja California prosecutor’s office said in a statement.
“All three bodies meet the characteristics to assume with a high degree of probability that they are the American Carter Rhoad as well as the Robinson brothers from Australia,” Baja California’s state attorney-general Maria Elena Andrade said.
While the three bodies were found in an advanced state of decomposition at the bottom of a well more than 15m deep, “some physical descriptions give us that high probability”.
A fourth body was discovered in the well, although that corpse had been there for longer and is not believed to be linked to this case, Andrade said.
Baja California prosecutors last week said they were questioning three people over the case. On Saturday, authorities said criminal charges had been laid against one of the three, understood to be equivalent to kidnapping.
Andrade Ramirez, the chief state prosecutor, said evidence found along with the abandoned tents was linked to the three people being questioned.
News outlet Milenio reported Ramirez said the suspects appeared to have stolen the surfers’ truck and some of its parts were found in another vehicle belonging to one of the suspects.
Investigators continue to search the rugged area for additional evidence.
The Robinson brothers, both in their 30s, were travelling in the region on a surfing holiday when they failed to check into prebooked accommodation near Ensenada.
Their mother Debra Robinson appealed for help to find her two sons and an American friend they were travelling with, saying she had not heard from them. “Callum is a type one diabetic so there is also a medical concern,” she wrote online.
Officials from Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was obviously a distressing time for the family. –