A mother in northern Mexico has located and exhumed her son's remains seven years after his disappearance, highlighting the ongoing crisis of missing persons often linked to cartel violence. Her collective seeks answers where authorities fall short.

Ceci Flores discovered her son’s remains during a search in northern Mexico in late March. He had disappeared in 2019. Flores is a well-known figure in Mexico, where she leads a collective of mothers looking for their missing loved ones, often victims of cartels. Collectives like hers aim to fill the gap left by the authorities’ inaction.