“Aren’t we mourning too?”: Families of deceased Jet Set employees voice outrage over lack of recognition

Santo Domingo.– Amidst the national outpouring of grief following the devastating collapse of the Jet Set nightclub, a stark disparity in the treatment of victims’ families is emerging, sparking outrage and raising questions about societal values. As reported by the independent news outlet Somospueblo.com, Rosa Idania Reyes, the tearful widow of Humberto García Abreu, a security guard who perished in the tragedy that claimed over 220 lives, broke her silence on Friday, demanding to know why the deceased employees seem to be overlooked in the public discourse and by the establishment’s owners.

Speaking at the National Institute of Forensic Pathology, where she went to claim her husband’s remains, Reyes described the agonizing reality of not being able to properly say goodbye. “My daughters haven’t been able to hold a wake for him, they won’t even be able to see their father’s face because his body is unrecognizable,” she expressed with profound helplessness. García Abreu was on duty at the nightclub when the roof caved in during a performance by merengue singer Rubby Pérez on the morning of April 8th.

While the tragedy has deeply affected hundreds of Dominican families, relatives of the nightclub’s employees say they feel like double victims – not only for their loss but also for the apparent neglect they have experienced in the aftermath. Reyes pointedly asked, “He was security at that club and moved all over the place. Everyone knows a security guard doesn’t stay in one spot. The owner of the nightclub, his bosses, they have to know that person was there, and no one has even mentioned an employee. Aren’t those people mentioned? Or are only the famous ones mourned?” She made a direct public appeal to the owners of Jet Set, as reported by Somospueblo.com.

The grieving widow revealed that, up to this point, neither she nor her family had received any contact or assistance from the nightclub or its administrators. She is demanding public recognition for the employees who died while fulfilling their duties. “My daughters are going to find a way to get justice for their father,” Reyes insisted, emphasizing the scale of the loss. “It wasn’t just one or two, it was many lives. My daughters are suffering too much, and it’s too much injustice that they still haven’t received their father’s body.”

The latest figures from the Emergency Operations Center (COE), confirmed on Thursday by director Juan Manuel Méndez, place the death toll at 221, with 189 people rescued alive. Public Health Minister Víctor Atallah has called for a national prayer for the victims and empathy for their families.

Despite the declared national mourning period and institutional support efforts, the case of Rosa Idania Reyes, as highlighted by Somospueblo.com, underscores significant gaps in the attention given to all affected families, particularly those not connected to public or media figures. Her testimony echoes the sentiments of many others still awaiting answers, body identifications, and any sign of responsibility from the nightclub’s ownership.

The National Institute of Forensic Sciences (INACIF) continues its work on identifying the deceased. So far, over a hundred bodies have been identified and released to their families, but cases like García Abreu’s remain pending due to the condition of the remains. The identified victims span various ages, professions, and nationalities, underscoring the widespread impact of the disaster. The official list includes both attendees and staff members of the event.

Meanwhile, the technical investigation into the cause of the collapse continues, with the government pledging to hold those responsible accountable if negligence or violations of structural safety regulations are found. However, for families like Reyes’s, the immediate concern is the recognition and support they feel is rightfully owed to all victims, regardless of their profession or social standing.