The body of Kimberly Jocelin Ramos Beltrán, a student at the Autonomous University of the State of Morelos (UAEM) who had been missing since February 20, was found dead in a wooded area near the Chamilpa campus, judicial authorities confirmed. The discovery occurred amid protests denouncing the indifference and insensitivity of university authorities to her disappearance on campus. The 18-year-old was last seen entering the campus. Unable to get a response, students blocked the two entrances to the campus. Around 10 p.m., the rector, Viridiana Aydeé León Hernández, arrived accompanied by state and academic officials and agreed to a follow-up meeting for the next day at noon. Kimberly's ex-boyfriend, Jared Alejandro “N.”, was arrested the same day. A control judge ordered pretrial detention as a precautionary measure, charging him with the crime of enforced disappearance by private individuals, aggravated. State Prosecutor's Office personnel confirmed to this journalist that a second person close to the young man is also being investigated as a possible responsible party, and the case will now be investigated as femicide. During the proceedings, personnel from the Morelos Prosecutor's Office, led by Fernando Blumenkron, conducted a search of the young man's family home, where they found the victim's cell phone, voter ID card, her bag, and some doses of drugs. From that moment on, search operations and patrols were maintained, combining field patrols and surveillance in difficult-to-access wooded areas near the campus. After several days of searching, on the afternoon of Monday, March 2, Kimberly's body was located in another wooded area, also owned by the young man's family, confirming the clues gathered since the search. Minutes before this information was finalized, the Prosecutor's Office issued a brief statement confirming the discovery and reiterating that the investigation continues. The Prosecutor's Office continues to investigate to clarify the involvement of all individuals involved and to gather additional evidence. On the 11th day of her disappearance, the university community intensified protests and took over the UAEM rectorate to demand security and justice for Kimberly, denouncing the authorities' indifference. Students remembered that the last place Kimberly was known to have contact was upon entering the university, and they placed search flyers and posters with messages like “Neither silence nor omission, we demand an investigation,” and they recalled previous cases of violence, including the femicide of Aylin Rodríguez in April 2025. The first agreement broken by the rector was her failure to attend the scheduled follow-up meeting on Monday, March 1, which prompted an internal campus march that ended with the occupation of the rectorate. In response, university authorities released a video in which the rector stated that she is joining the search for Kimberly and the attention to the community, but she classified the protests on campus as violent. In parallel, the UAEM declared a red code and suspended face-to-face activities at the Chamilpa campus. Classes will be taught virtually in the afternoon shift while the duration of the measure is evaluated. Mario Cortés, leader of SITAUAEM, emphasized that the priority is the safety of all students and the physical integrity of the university community.
