Father Shoots 2 Year Old Son Before Killing Self
The number of cases of aggression against minors, attended to by the Hospital de Niños (Children's hospital), has doubled in the last two years.

The latest case is that of two year old Francisco Monterrosa Hidalgo, who is intensive care, clinging for life, after his father shot him. This is the second case of the use of a firearm against a child reported this year.

The 26 year old Erick Monterrosa Portuguez shot is son before shooting himself in the head after his woman had left him. The couple lived in Santa Teresita de Aserrí, south of San José.

The incident occurred shortly after 9:30am, when Karol Hidalgo Garro, only 18 years of age, had decided to leave the man after two years of abuse an hour ealier, when Erick decided to go look for the woman. Locating her, she wouldn't open the door, but the young child did and the tragedy unfolded.

In the year 2000, 20 cases of violence against children a month were reported. In 2003 that amount rose to 30 and this year (2005) some 60 cases of abuse are reported. Dr. Urroz of the Hospital de Niños says has to stop.

According to Urroz, it is the parents who are the main agressors of children. Information by the Patronato Nacional de la Infancia (PANI) - child welfare agency - says that 26.880 cases of agression were reported in 2003, while in 2004 the number rose to 35.590. PANI says that in 90% of the cases the aggression was by the person left to care for the child.

Like the case involving Francisco who was shot by his father, in July of 2003, a man stabbed to death his two young daghters - 1 and 3 years old - before killing his senitmental partner. The man committed suicide following his arrest.

And in January of 2004, three children - 11, 5 and 3 years of age - were murdered at the hands of their father - again, resulting from a conflict between the parents. In this case, the parents were separated and the man killed he children because their mother would not reconcile with him.

All three cases mentioned here, the father took out his vengeance on the children, after the children's mother decided to leave the house or did not want to continue or return to the relationship.