A 14-year-old boy from Chicago is in a coma after he, his father, and uncle were shot on a family vacation in Mexico. The incident, which occurred in Durango, resulted in the deaths of the boy’s father, 38-year-old Vicente Peña Jr., and his uncle, 44-year-old Antonio “Tony” Fernandez, as well as a local resident and relative of the victims. The teen and his family had traveled to Mexico to celebrate his 14th birthday.
The mother of the 14-year-old has set up a fundraising page on SpotFund to cover her son’s medical expenses and to facilitate his transfer back to the United States. The boy was shot in the head during the attack and is currently in critical condition in the ICU on life support. The bodies of the other victims were discovered on December 27 along the Francisco Zarco Highway in Santiago Papasquiaro, also in Durango. They were traveling in an SUV with Illinois license plates when they were attacked.
Details about the attack remain scarce, but officials have described it as part of a surge in violent crime in Durango. The incident is a stark reminder of the dangers Americans face while traveling abroad. The State Department has issued a Level 2 travel advisory for Mexico, urging tourists to exercise increased caution due to the prevalence of violent crime in the country, including homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery.
The tragedy has raised concerns about the safety of Americans traveling to Mexico, particularly given the recent increase in violent crime in the region. The victims, who were U.S. citizens, were targeted in the attack, which left the 14-year-old boy in a coma. The State Department and local authorities are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident, but details remain limited at this time.
As the family deals with the aftermath of the attack, the teen’s mother is focused on raising funds to cover her son’s medical expenses and bring him back to the United States for further treatment. The heartbreaking situation serves as a reminder of the risks associated with traveling to countries where violent crime is prevalent. The boy and his family had traveled to Mexico to celebrate his birthday, only to face a tragic and senseless act of violence that has left the boy fighting for his life in a foreign country.
