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Cause of death for missing 4-year-old found trapped in her own bed after 9-day search
The cause of death for a missing four-year-old girl - who was ultimately discovered in her bed - has been confirmed,
A case that gripped Mexico in 2010 ended when the body of four-year-old Paulette Gebara Farah was discovered in the most unlikely place - her own bed. On March 22, 2010, she was reported missing from her family’s flat in Huixquilucan de Degollado, a wealthy suburb of Mexico City, sparking a massive search effort, People reported.
During the nine-day search, more than 100 police officers and search dogs combed through the apartment and surrounding area, yet the location of her body remained unknown. On March 31, her body was found in her bedroom, wedged between the mattress and the bed frame, wrapped in sheets, BBC News reported.
Details of the disappearance and search
Paulette had developmental disabilities that made walking and talking difficult, according to medical reports. On the night before her disappearance, she, her father Mauricio Gebara, and her sister returned home from a three-day vacation and were put to bed by her mother, Lisette Farah.
The next morning, she was gone, prompting widespread media coverage and social media campaigns. Posters appeared across the capital and hashtags circulated on platforms like Facebook and X.
Investigation turns inward
Initial investigations treated the case as a possible homicide. State attorney general Alberto Bazbaz commented that the evidence pointed towards foul play. Paulette’s parents and two nannies were questioned and placed under house arrest during the investigation.
However, when her body was discovered, the coroner ruled the death an accidental asphyxiation, stating it occurred when Paulette slipped into the space between her mattress and the bed frame.
Bazbaz admitted to investigative failures, saying authorities “had been concentrating their search efforts outside the home” instead of fully checking the child’s bedroom.
Aftermath and public reaction
The official ruling of accidental death did not end public suspicion. Her father later said (via Boston.com, “The only thing I can say is that for me, it wasn’t an accident. I can only speak for myself.” The case led to widespread criticism of Mexico’s justice system and police procedures.
Public scrutiny intensified, leading Bazbaz to resign. He stated per BBC News, “Once that’s lost, it’s impossible to carry on,” referring to public trust in his office. Paulette’s parents, who became estranged, entered a custody dispute over their older daughter, Lisette. Farah was eventually granted custody.
The case drew renewed attention in 2020 when it became the focus of a Netflix dramatization, bringing the controversial investigation back into public conversation.