Sonora reports high rates of family obligation non-compliance against minors

In the state of Sonora, Mexico, more than 52% of crimes committed against children and adolescents during the first half of 2026 were due to the failure to meet family assistance obligations. According to data analyzed by the Fundación Nueva Generación Sonora, there were 1,100 reported cases of non-compliance with family obligations out of 2,009 total crimes against minors in the region between January and June 2026.

Michelle Lucero Barón, president of the foundation, noted that this type of parental abandonment is often normalized despite being a violation of children's rights. Other reported crimes against minors in the state during this period included sexual abuse (209 cases), physical injuries (198 cases), family violence (188 cases), and threats (100 cases).

Lucero explained that the increase in visible figures may be due to a methodological change by the Secretariado Ejecutivo del Sistema Nacional de Seguridad Pública, which now allows for a specific breakdown of crimes that were previously not categorized individually. Additionally, Sonora has joined the National Registry of Alimony Debtors, a system that identifies individuals who fail to pay child support and may face restrictions on obtaining or renewing passports and driver's licenses.