A 23-year-old woman from Mexico went missing for several days after using the Chinese ride-hailing app Didi. On Friday (July 12), authorities in northern Mexico found her body. The Didi driver who picked up the woman has turned himself in.
According to Reuters, education major student Paola Banuelos left a bar in Mexicali, a city on the US-Mexico border, on Monday morning. She used the Didi app to call a ride and disappeared after getting into the car. Mexicali is located near Calexico, California.
Local prosecutors stated in a press release that on Thursday, the woman’s body was found in a remote area with signs of violence.
The statement added that the Didi driver, the main suspect in the murder case, Sergio Gutierrez, has surrendered.
Gutierrez told local media that he fled “out of fear” and that he and his family were threatened. “People really don’t know what happened, they have ideas, they make threats,” he told local reporters before surrendering.
China’s largest ride-hailing company Didi did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
Banuelos’ death has sparked outrage in Mexico. According to official data, at least two women die every day in Mexico due to gender-related violence, but activists say the actual number is much higher.
Ceci Flores, a leader of a Mexican human rights organization, urged women to be cautious when going out.
Currently, the most popular ride-hailing app choices in the Mexican market are Uber and Didi, with Cabify and Beat also available for selection.