San José Pinula is a town, with a population of 67,327 (2018 census), and a municipality in the Department of Guatemala in the Republic of Guatemala in Central America . It is located 21 kilometers (13 mi) from the capital, Guatemala City . The city was established in 1886 as Villorio San José. The city is surrounded by mountains. Until a few years ago, the economy was based on the growing of corn, as well as some vegetables such as guisquil, chayote or pataste. However, the growth of Guatemala City in recent years has transformed farmland into suburban neighborhoods. Golf courses, such as Hacienda Nueva Country Club which used to be a convent in the 16th century and Alta Vista Country Club, both considered world-class, are now in and around San José Pinula.
23-418: The city is governed by municipal authorities elected every four years. The predominant religion in the region is Roman Catholic, followed by evangelical Protestant denominations. The patron saint and namesake of the town is San José (St. Joseph), whose day and is annually celebrated on March 19. Currently, the town of San José Pinula is coping with rapid growth which has resulted in increased traffic congestion in
46-474: A human trafficking network which recruited children from the home. On 7 March, rioting broke out at the safe home, followed by a mass escape. The day began with protests against abuse, rape, and overcrowding. According to the Social Welfare Secretariat, the riot started at 2:00 pm when a group of adolescents climbed on to the roof and threatened guards and staff with metal objects. During
69-533: A 22-hospital system, it is one of the two Shriner's Hospitals Centers of Excellence and consists of an intensive care unit with 15 acute beds and a med/surg unit with 15 beds along with three operating rooms. The hospital is verified as a burn center by the American Burn Association and accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations . In 2012, the hospital joined
92-618: A contractor hired by the home was convicted of raping a mentally disabled 17-year-old girl. Two teachers have been arrested on charges of sexual assault. Guatemala's Human Rights Ombudsman's Office (PDH for its initials in Spanish) received 45 reports of abuse between 2012 and 2016. On 2 November 2016, the PDH requested the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to issue precautionary measures, citing evidence of mistreatment by staff and of
115-549: A skywalk directly linking the hospital with UTMB's John Sealy and Children's hospitals. The new hospital was completed and occupied in 1992, followed by Sealy Smith Foundation purchasing the 1966 hospital and donating it to UTMB for use as a research facility. The hospital was damaged by Hurricane Ike in September 2008. In light of the cost of repairs and the economic downturn, the Shriner's National Hospital Board planned to mothball
138-490: Is a state-run children's home located in San Jose Pinula, about 25 kilometres (16 mi) away from the capital Guatemala City . The institution was built in 2010 and accommodates abandoned or orphaned children, as well as children with disabilities, drug addictions, or who are pregnant. Some have been institutionalized by the state after being abused by family members, forced into prostitution, or being homeless. Although
161-664: The Shriners Orthopaedic Hospital for Children in Houston. In January 2020 it was announced that Shriners Hospital for Children in Houston would be closing their facility and transferring staff and programs to their sister hospital, Shriners Hospital for Burned Children, in Galveston. The merger was expected to be completed by the 4th Quarter of 2020 with the closing of the Houston Hospital occurring in early 2021. After
184-595: The Texas Medical Center as its 50th member institution. In 1962 the Shriners of North America allocated $ 10 million to establish three hospitals that specialized in the treatment and rehabilitation of burned children. After visiting 21 university-based medical institutions, the decision was made to build the first pediatric burn unit on the campus of the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB). In 1963
207-513: The "Shriners Burns Institute" began operation in a seven-bed ward in John Sealy Hospital , the teaching hospital for UTMB. In the interim, a specialized Shriner's Burns Hospital was being constructed on land adjacent to the university, that had been donated by the Sealy & Smith Foundation . Work on the hospital was completed in 1966 and the institute moved in shortly after. By the late 1980s
230-519: The Shriners began to study the possibility of replacing the aging 1966 hospital. Since their orthopedic children's hospital in nearby Houston was also slated to be replaced, the organization studied combining the two institutions and basing them in the Texas Medical Center . However the Sealy & Smith Foundation and the Moody Foundation both offered substantial financial and logistical support to
253-635: The Virgen de la Asunción Safe Home (Hogar Seguro) in San José Pinula , Guatemala . Forty-one girls, aged between 14 and 17 years old, were killed when a fire broke out at the orphanage. The girls had been locked in a schoolroom following protests, riots and an escape attempt which occurred the day before. In the aftermath of the fire, three government officials—including the country's Secretary of Social Welfare—were arrested and charged with crimes such as wrongful death and negligence. Virgen de la Asunción Safe Home
SECTION 10
#1732863074575276-561: The complaints about abuse of all kinds at the orphanage. A spokesman for the president instead placed blame on the court system. Several members of the Congress of Guatemala called for the dismissal of Carlos Rodas, the Secretary of Social Welfare. Meanwhile, the Public Prosecutor began a criminal investigation of the events, collecting evidence including video from surveillance cameras at
299-406: The confusion, about 85 residents escaped and fled into the surrounding woods. Most were captured by police and returned to the home. At around 10:00 pm, an officer of Guatemala's National Civil Police called president Jimmy Morales to inform him of the situation. Upon returning to the home, the adolescents were not immediately allowed to enter the building. President Morales had directed
322-500: The facility in the aftermath of the storm, however the Shriners National Convention overturned the decision and voted to repair and reopen the Galveston facility. Prior to the storm, the hospital serviced both burns patients and patients with cleft lip and palate disorders. However, when the Galveston hospital reopened in 2009, the decision was made to relocate the cleft lip program to the hospital's sister institution,
345-539: The fire. 14°34′35″N 90°29′52″W / 14.5764°N 90.4978°W / 14.5764; -90.4978 Shriners Hospital for Children (Galveston) The Shriners Children's Texas is a 30-bed non-profit pediatric specialty hospital (orthopedic, burn, and other service lines), research, and teaching center located adjacent to the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston , Texas , US. Part of
368-428: The home does not house criminals, it does take in minors with legal histories who have completed their sentences, but have no relatives to take care of them. The home has a capacity of around 350 to 500 youths, but was housing 700 to 800 at the time of the fire. Children were separated into different areas of the building based on age and gender. Virgen de la Asunción has a long history of abuse allegations. In 2014,
391-587: The home. On 11 March, hundreds of people protested in Guatemala City against the perceived negligence, corruption and ineptitude of the Guatemalan government. Protestors walked through the streets of the city reading the names and ages of the girls who died. Chants included "it was the state," and "it wasn't an accident, it was an execution." On the same day as the protests, Rodas resigned as Secretary of Social Welfare. President Morales announced he would "remove
414-563: The line of command" at the safe home, and the Deputy Secretary of Social Welfare and the director of the home were both dismissed shortly after the fire. On 13 March, Guatemalan authorities announced the arrests of former secretary Carlos Rodas, former deputy secretary Anahí Keller, and former director of the safe home Santos Torres. Criminal charges against them included wrongful death, mistreatment of minors, and negligence. In June, two police officers were also charged for crimes related to
437-515: The mornings and evenings. On March 8, 2017 there was a fire in a youth home filled with 500 children. There had been a riot about the conditions and about sexual abuse by the staff. 41 girls were killed. 14°33′N 90°25′W / 14.550°N 90.417°W / 14.550; -90.417 This Guatemala location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . 2017 Guatemala orphanage fire The 2017 Guatemala orphanage fire occurred on 8 March 2017, at
460-423: The organization if it would choose to stay in Galveston. With Galveston foundations willing to cover much of the cost of a new hospital, the Shriners agreed to remain in the island city and renewed their agreement with UTMB. In 1989 construction commenced on a new eight-story hospital tower that would be equipped with 30 beds, three operating rooms, a 163-seat auditorium, research & rehabilitation facilities and
483-604: The room did not allow the girls to escape. Nineteen girls died on the scene. Victims were transferred to hospitals in Guatemala City and the Shriners Hospital for Children in Texas . In total, 41 girls were killed by the fire. All were between the ages of 14 and 17. Human rights advocates condemned various officials—including president Morales, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Social Welfare—for failing to address
SECTION 20
#1732863074575506-444: The room over the night. In the morning, the girls were not allowed to leave to use the bathroom. At around 9:00 am, a fire broke out in the schoolroom. The cause of the fire is undetermined, but witnesses claim the fire was set by adolescents in an act of protest. Two survivors recounted hearing girls shouting that they were going to "sacrifice so that everyone would know what they were living in there." Police who were guarding
529-404: The staff to keep the escapees separate because they had broken the law and represented a risk to the other residents. At 1:00 am, the escapees were let back into the building. The boys were returned to their dormitories, while the girls were sent to a schoolroom. Fifty-one girls were confined to a schoolroom. They were provided with mattresses, but not blankets. The National Police guarded
#574425