Witness Reports Desperate Screams in Loan Peña Disappearance Case
Abundio Escobar, an ambulance driver residing in the rural area of El Algarrobal, testified on August 20, 2026, during the 19th hearing of the trial concerning the disappearance of Loan Danilo Peña. Escobar reaffirmed that on June 13, 2024, he heard what he described as “gritos desesperados” from a child that he believes originated from a nearby eucalyptus grove, providing a critical timeline for investigators.
The Testimony of Abundio Escobar
The judicial proceedings, taking place at the Gendarmería Nacional’s Escuadrón 48 in Corrientes, center on the disappearance of five-year-old Loan Danilo Peña. According to testimony provided by Escobar and reported by Página|12, the witness recalled hearing a child’s voice between 5:00 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. on the day the boy went missing. Escobar described the sounds as “desperate screams” and noted that while he could not distinguish specific words, the tone suggested the child’s mouth might have been covered.
Escobar, who works for a hospital in 9 de Julio, testified that he left his home to investigate the noise, which he estimated came from approximately 200 meters away. During the trial, the witness clarified a discrepancy regarding the timing of these events. While a previous statement had suggested the screams occurred between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., Escobar corrected this during his testimony, stating, “It was earlier. At that time (between 18:00 and 19:00), the police and firefighters had already arrived. The screams were before; it was still daylight.”
Vehicle Movements and Corroborating Observations
Beyond the auditory evidence, Escobar provided details regarding the movements of a Ford Ranger linked to the accused, María Victoria Caillava and Carlos Guido Pérez. As reported by Radio Mitre, the witness stated he observed the vehicle heading toward the home of the boy’s grandmother, Catalina Peña, around 11:30 a.m. on the day of the disappearance. He reported seeing the same vehicle circulating in the area again at approximately 2:00 p.m.
The inclusion of this testimony in the trial record adds a layer of geographical and temporal data that investigators are now cross-referencing with forensic evidence. In previous stages of the investigation, authorities conducted odorological examinations, where police dogs reportedly identified scent traces attributed to Loan within the vehicle belonging to the couple.
Challenges in Evidence and Environmental Factors
The court’s questioning focused heavily on the acoustics of the rural landscape. Factors such as vegetation density, wind direction, and ambient noise were examined to determine the reliability of Escobar’s account. Rodolfo Baque, the lawyer representing the Peña family, questioned the witness on the specific characteristics of the sound to establish a clearer picture of the events that transpired in the Paraje El Algarrobal.
Legal experts note that in cases involving the search for missing persons, the integration of witness accounts with physical movement logs is essential for building a coherent prosecution. When such cases involve multiple defendants—including Antonio Bernardino Benítez, who was also placed in the vicinity by the witness—the complexity of the trial increases significantly.
Legal Precedents and Ongoing Judicial Oversight
The trial continues to examine the movements of all accused parties during the hours immediately following the child’s disappearance. As the legal process unfolds, the court must weigh the consistency of witness statements against the timeline established by law enforcement. According to reporting from La Nueva Provincia, investigators from the PFA have maintained a focus on the theory that the child was removed from the scene by individuals present at the gathering.
As the legal community continues to monitor these developments, the importance of verifiable data and expert testimony remains paramount. The case remains a significant point of concern for the local infrastructure and the community of 9 de Julio, highlighting the ongoing need for rigorous judicial scrutiny in cases of child abduction.
The trial of the accused, who have been in detention since 2024, serves as a grim reminder of the evidentiary hurdles faced by investigators. As the proceedings move into their next phase, the court will continue to synthesize these testimonies to determine the sequence of events that led to the disappearance of Loan Danilo Peña. The pursuit of truth requires not only the courage of witnesses like Abundio Escobar but also the sustained commitment of the judicial system to reconcile conflicting accounts and reach a definitive conclusion.