The case that shocked Esquel came to light after a judicial operation at a residence where, according to investigators, a woman and her three children had been isolated since 2022. For this act, Miguel Ángel Edgardo Battista, a 71-year-old biochemist, was arrested, accused of keeping his family in that situation. After the rescue, the authorities’ priority shifted to caring for and protecting the victims.
Deborah Paz, of 41 years, remains hospitalized in the Mental Health area of Esquel’s Zonal Hospital, while her children, aged 19, 17 and 13, remain under institutional guardianship and receive medical and psychological support. Initial assessments indicated that the youths are stable, though emotionally very affected by what they experienced.
Now, the professional teams are working to determine what kind of accompaniment each family member will need and which protective measures will be most appropriate. In parallel, the judiciary is advancing with the investigation to clarify the circumstances of the case.
Cómo se encuentra Deborah Paz tras el rescate
The mother of the three youths remains hospitalized in the Mental Health area of Esquel’s Zonal Hospital, where she receives treatment and professional support. According to information published by media outlets following the case and attributed to sources linked to the investigation, the woman is doing well while continuing medical follow-up.
Her situation is part of the evaluations that seek to establish what will be the next steps to guarantee her wellbeing and protection.
El estado de salud de los tres hijos
Deborah’s children, aged 19, 17 and 13, were placed under the protection of the Service for the Protection of Rights of Children, Adolescents and Teenagers. In addition, they receive medical and psychological care to assess the consequences that confinement could have had on their health.
According to the initial reports cited in the media coverage, the youths are stable, although professionals warned that they are highly affected psychologically. In the initial review, no visible signs of malnutrition were detected either.
During the procedure, investigators found food in the dwelling. That finding aligned with neighbors’ accounts of groceries being delivered every fifteen days. However, the presence of food does not rule out the emotional consequences that can arise from a prolonged period of isolation.
It is expected that during the coming week an interdisciplinary medical team will present an updated report on the health of the siblings. That document will allow defining more precisely what assistance they will need going forward.
For now, institutional intervention aims to keep the three siblings together while alternatives for temporary housing and the most suitable protective measures to safeguard them are analyzed.
Las próximas medidas judiciales
Alongside medical care, the investigation continues to clarify the circumstances in which the family lived and determine the corresponding responsibilities.
Among the measures planned is the reception of testimonies through the Gesell chamber procedure for the minor children, with the aim of safeguarding their psychological well-being during the process. As for the eldest daughter, sources linked to the case indicated that this modality could also be used if it is considered that her mental health is vulnerable.
The father, the biochemist Miguel Ángel Edgardo Battista, 71, remains detained at Esquel’s Second Police Station. He is charged with aggravated abandonment of a person connected by kinship in conjunction with illegal deprivation of liberty, and the judge ordered ten days of preventive detention while the investigation progresses.
While the case continues, the focus of the authorities remains on monitoring Deborah’s and her children’s health and on guaranteeing the care and protection provisions they will need after the rescue.
