So today in the news, Reuters and many other news outlets are reporting the fire at a Guatemala children's shelter:
Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-guatemala-children-idUSKBN16F243
Domestic worker Alicia Lopez, 50, had been outside the home for hours trying to find out what happened to her autistic 12-year-old son who came to the center with a drug addiction. She said he had been raped there last week.
New York Times: https://archive.is/TzcrQ#selection-1833.0-1833.218
Distraught relatives said abuse was common at the centre, which is run by the Ministry for Social Welfare, and presidential spokesman Heinz Heimann condemned what he described as the shelter's open living arrangements.
Al Jazeera http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/03/guatemala-fire-deadly-blaze-rips-child-centre-170308172956284.html
UNICEF and the prosecutor for human rights called for the home's closure last year after complaints of overcrowding along with physical and sexual abuse.
And there are other reports of children being raped there and suicides. Awful.
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Then over at George Webb's Youtube Channel, someone wrote an interesting comment on this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dL7i8BIjhGw
Hmmm. Another strange coincidence. NYT says all the dead in this fire in a children's shelter (in Guatemala) were girls, but that may not be the whole story. USNS Spearhead was sitting off the coast of Guatemala again when it happened. The shelter is inland, but accessible by helicopter. https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2017/03/08/world/americas/08reuters-guatemala-children.html?_r=0
Last time USNS Spearhead was there(a few weeks ago) a well known activist was assassinated. Just saying.
So, since I've become quite fascinated by all things military lately, I thought I'd have a look at USNS Spearhead.
It seems that the USNS Spearhead works in the area of humanitarian assistance as well as special operations support and does quite a lot of training in the Caribbean.
In 2015 according to this article, In Guatemala, they provided prenatal care to more than 400 women and treated children for parasitic infections.
And here's another example of their humanitarian assistance in Gabon, painting and repairing a local orphanage.
Now I'm not saying at all that the two are connected, how could I ? But lately I seem to be looking into strange coincidences where children's shelters are concerned. As for the helicopter comment, that rings a bell. That recent raid in Haiti during the Superbowl, I seem to remember that the rescued children mentioned rewards/promises of helicopter rides, one of the nearby resorts is a base for UN soldiers...hmm...now where was that article.....
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Eastwood350 ago
One of the pics found in the orphanage's FB page is a swirl logo. https://www.facebook.com/HogarDeNinosAsuncionDeLaVirgen/photos/a.379922485418494.88998.374401939303882/1010606302350106/?type=3&theater