Axarquia girl missing in Turkey

MARIA JIMENA RICO, a 28-year-old woman from Torrox, has been reported missing by her family after travelling to Turkey.

She had journeyed to Dubai to visit the sick mother of her 22-year-old girlfriend, Shaza Ismail. 

Once in the emirate however, it became clear the invitation had been a ruse and that Miss Ismail’s family had instead wanted her to face trial for her sexual persuasion, which is punishable by death in Dubai.

The two women fled, travelling to Georgia where they were intercepted by Miss Ismail’s father.  Police intervened and the girls managed to escape again, this time to the Turkish city of Samsun where they contacted a friend in London who arranged a hotel and consular assistance in Istanbul. 

The pair never checked in, however, and the last communication Miss Jimena Rico’s family received was a voice message saying her girlfriend’s father “has tried to snatch her,” adding, “her family is crazy, seriously, they’re going to try to kill us.”

Miss Jimena Rico’s parents have filed a missing person’s report with a judge in Spain and the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also involved. Torrox’s mayor, Oscar Medina, said the girl comes from a ‘well-known” family, who have “the full support of the whole town at this difficult time.”