On the Trail of the Disappeared

She was lost. She disappeared. Until one day they got the news they had always feared: she was dead.

There are many disappearances like that of Martha Lidia. The Honduran Consulate in Los Angeles receives frequent reports from families who say they cant find their son, daughter, husband, wife, cousin, nephew, etc. who left Honduras to go north but lost their way.

"Unfortunately it is more common than you would think," said Honduran Consul Vivian Panting. "Every day we receive reports of family members who came in 2001 or 2002 and haven't heard from them."

Panting said that the Hondurans whose trail has been lost are considered missing, not dead; perhaps they are working in Mexico, or are victims of abuse or sex trafficking, or are detained in prisons, or actually have died, but no one knows how or where.

"The most dangerous part of the journey is when they cross from Mexico. Thats where the majority dies. We dont know what happened to many of them. There are a lot of bands of robbers," said Hector Rodriguez, Martha Lidias brother-in-law.

Religious and civil organizations in Honduras have registered about 700 missing Hondurans, whose relatives have lost all communication with them.

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