Maitena left farewell letters… and was found dead far from her home

The case of Maitena Garófalo, a 14-year-old girl, has shocked the community of Merlo after her death was confirmed following her disappearance for almost 24 hours.

The young woman was last seen on Wednesday morning when she left her house with her sister to go to school. However, she never entered the school. Hours later, her family noticed her absence and filed a missing person report, which triggered a search operation.

Security cameras allowed investigators to reconstruct part of her route: Maitena walked alone through several streets and then took a train from the Merlo station. She traveled to General Las Heras, where she was eventually found dead in an open field.

One of the elements that most shocked investigators was that the teenager left her cell phone at home along with several farewell letters addressed to family and friends, as well as scheduled messages. In these writings, she expressed anguish and a desire to end her life.

The autopsy determined that the cause of death was asphyxiation by hanging, and initially, no signs of third-party involvement were detected, reinforcing the suicide hypothesis.

However, the investigation is not closed. Analysis of devices and social media revealed contacts with foreign numbers, opening a new line of inquiry to determine if there was any kind of instigation or external influence on the minor's decision.

Meanwhile, the Justice system continues to gather evidence to fully clarify what happened in a case that has generated a strong social impact and numerous unanswered questions.