Mexico, around 1,600 baby teeth found in an area suspected to be a mass grave

A group of volunteers searching for missing people has reported finding at least 1,600 baby teeth in western Mexico, at a site suspected of being a mass grave.

The initiative consists of relatives of missing people and was founded by Margarita Lopez, a former lawmaker from Michoacan. The group is calling for the teeth to undergo genetic testing to determine the possible identities of the victims.

Lopez said the initial search took place in 2021 in the city of Zacapu, in the state of Michoacan, in the presence of an investigator from Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office. During the operation, group members noticed smoke over a hill and headed toward a property believed to be owned by a drug trafficker from Sinaloa.

According to her testimony, remains suspected to be human were found in the area. An official identified only as “Braulio” cleaned one of the teeth and concluded that it belonged to a child.

Lopez, who lost her daughter in 2011 and found her remains two years later in another area, said searches at the site have continued over the years. She claims that fragments of human bones have also been discovered there, while on Wednesday the group found several piles of baby teeth.

The former lawmaker suspects that the teeth may belong to children between the ages of 1 and 12 who may have fallen victim to organ trafficking or sexual exploitation. So far, these remain unconfirmed claims, as forensic examinations have not been conducted and authorities have not linked the teeth to specific individuals.

The Michoacan State Attorney General’s Office has denied being aware of the case. In a statement, it said that since 2021 it had received no complaint, referral or request for forensic intervention related to the matter.

Lopez disputes the statement, saying that employees of the Michoacan Attorney General’s Office were present during the recovery of the 1,600 teeth. According to her, the process was documented in the preliminary investigation, and a federal prosecutor and forensic specialists also took part in the operation.

The case has been reported at a time when Mexico continues to face a high number of missing people. Data cited by the group indicates that more than 130,000 people are missing in the country, including more than 18,000 children.

Lopez has requested assistance from the International Committee of the Red Cross with the investigation, while also criticizing President Claudia Sheinbaum over the way the matter has been handled.

For now, both the discovery of the teeth and their origin must be confirmed through independent forensic analyses.