A tearful retraction and accusations against her former lawyer
In a highly charged session on Tuesday, Laudelina Peña, the aunt of five-year-old Loan Danilo Peña, broke down in tears as she testified before the oral federal court in Corrientes. She apologized for her earlier false accounts, asserting that they were not her own doing but were instigated by her former attorney, José Fernández Codazzi. She firmly denied any involvement in the alleged accident or the placement of the shoe found in the mud, which had initially misled the investigation.[S1][S2][S4]
Peña recounted the events of June 13, starting with her arrival at her mother's home at 8:15 a.m. to help with chores and meal preparation. Around 2 p.m., she joined a group heading to the grove to pick oranges, where she tied Loan's shoelaces. However, she claimed she turned back before reaching the orange grove, stating she only went as far as the middle gate and decided to return, telling the others she would not go further.[S1][S2][S3][S4]
Suspicious actions by the police chief during the search
After returning home with her niece Camila, Peña said she received a call from Antonio Benítez, who informed her that Loan had gone off alone and was missing, prompting the initial search efforts. During the frantic search, she witnessed an encounter that she found troubling: a police truck with María Victoria Caillava and Commissioner Walter Maciel. According to her testimony, Maciel waited for her at the crossroads, greeted her, and dismissed her request to file a missing person report, saying they had to wait a day.[S1][S2][S4]
Peña also described Maciel's behavior inside her mother Catalina's home as strange. She noted that while everyone was searching for Loan, Maciel engaged in casual conversation about soccer and religion, asking her mother which team she supported and claiming they would get along. This account adds to the suspicion surrounding the police chief's conduct during the initial hours of the investigation.[S2][S3][S4]
A night at the station and a false alarm
Peña testified that she was taken to the police station around 1 a.m., where she sat with Millapi and Ramírez while Maciel went into his office. Around 1:40 a.m., they heard a radio communication indicating that Loan had been found safe but scared in a shack. The officers celebrated, and Maciel left to retrieve the boy. Peña broke down again recalling this moment, but soon after, they were told to go to the grandmother's house due to a development, which turned out to be a false alarm involving a drone heat detection.[S3]
She said they remained at the station all night without being formally questioned. Returning to the field before 7 a.m., they found a truck with a drone team preparing for the search. Following tracks marked by a neighbor, they were instructed by Maciel not to step on them for forensic examination. It was then that Camila discovered the shoe in the mud, a key piece of evidence that Peña now disowns.[S3]
