U.S. man cleared of Bogotá child abuse accusations files defamation suit

A 36‑year‑old U.S. citizen from Texas was initially identified as a suspect in a presumed child‑sex‑abuse case in the northern Bogotá neighbourhood of Navarra. Videos recorded from a balcony and shared on social media sparked public outrage and a crowded confrontation with the man. Subsequent examinations by the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (ICBF) and forensic medicine found no evidence of sexual violence, concluding the scene was a domestic dispute. The Fiscalía ordered his release while the investigation continued.

Following the authorities’ findings, the man’s lawyer announced that a criminal complaint will be filed against the individuals who recorded and disseminated the videos, citing charges of false testimony, procedural fraud, libel and slander. The episode also halted the couple’s pending adoption of three siblings aged 4, 7 and 15, a process now under review by the ICBF, which will continue to safeguard the children’s rights.

The case has highlighted tensions between public reaction on social media and the principle of presumption of innocence in Colombia’s justice system.