The actress Maribel Guardia reported that the Child Defense Prosecutor’s Office and the DIF of Mexico temporarily granted her custody of her seven-year-old grandson, José Julián, after she reported that her former daughter-in-law, Imelda Garza-Tuñón, was leaving the child alone at home for several days.
José Julián is the son of the artist's only child, singer Julián Figueroa, who passed away on April 9, 2023. After his death, Guardia became closer to her daughter-in-law and grandson, until recently surprising everyone by accusing her.
Through her social media, 65-year-old Maribel Guardia announced that she has been granted custody of her grandson while the investigation process unfolds.
"The specialists in this type of investigation, after analyzing all parties, informed us that it was determined that the child should stay temporarily (with me for 10 days), only while the investigation is carried out," the actress announced.
In a statement released this Wednesday, Guardia detailed that the decision for temporary custody was made after a hearing that lasted from Tuesday afternoon until five in the morning on Wednesday. They were given custody of their grandson at seven in the morning.
She emphasized that she is convinced that her grandson should be with his mother and that she will always defend that principle, but that he "needs a healthy and fully capable mother."
Faced with accusations that she is only trying to replace her son with her grandson, she responded, "I am not trying to replace my son, his loss is irremediable and his absence permanent. But it is my duty to take care of the well-being and health of my grandson."
"I reiterate that for the time being, the authorities have determined that the most suitable environment for the child is with his grandmother, in the home where he has happily lived since birth, within a family setting. Along this path, we will leave the solution in the hands of God and the appropriate authorities, respecting their judgment, always in favor of the greater well-being of my grandson."
He indicated that he will not give interviews for the well-being of his grandson and to avoid interfering with the investigation.
"I pray to God that his mother makes an effort to recover and that when that happens, the child can return to her in suitable conditions for his healthy development. I will be the happiest if that happens. In the meantime, the child will stay in my home full of love and care from my own hand, and I take on this responsibility as I have done since the day my grandson was born," she stated.
Imelda Garza responds to Maribel Guardia
Imelda Garza responded to Maribel Guardia through a story on her Instagram account, stating that "I have not undergone ANY test, nor have I given any official statement to the Prosecutor's Office, but I will submit to whatever is necessary to dismiss the accusations, thank you for the support".
Before this, he posted a sentence that says: "Hours crying, we are broken, we haven't eaten. Where is all the love? He didn't even come to face it, I never thought I would meet someone so bad."
Why is there a legal dispute between Maribel Guardia and her former daughter-in-law?
Maribel Guardia accused her former daughter-in-law of leaving her grandson home alone. She stated that there have been occasions when she has left him alone for several days.
The complaint states that "the accused now goes out alone every weekend and occasionally during the week from the residence... She does not return for one to two days... She returns to the residence in an obvious state of drunkenness and with very erratic behavior, having a well-founded fear from the comments received that the accused also consumes drugs".
They are investigating whether this accusation is true. Meanwhile, Imelda Garza is defending herself, asserting that the problem arose after she decided to live alone with her son.