Peruvian Man Allegedly Burns Son Alive for Being Gay, HIV-Positive

A Peruvian father allegedly burned his son alive after discovering the youth was gay, HIV-positive, and infected with tuberculosis, reports BuzzFeed.

The 49-year-old father, Hitler Baneo Núñez, reportedly doused his 22-year-old son in gasoline and set him ablaze after being taunted by neighbors about his son's sexuality. 

Those same neighbors reportedly helped save the son, identified alternately as Roger, Roberto, and by his initials, R.B.P. But  despite neighbors and his aunt's intervention, the young man was still burned on his face, arms, and parts of his legs, according to BuzzFeed's translation of the Peruvian daily newspaper's report.

The attack took place in Loreto, "a region of Peru deep inside the Amazon," according to BuzzFeed. The victim had been living in a medical home for people with HIV, called "Something Beautiful for God" since early March.

The victim, who is gay and happens to be infected with HIV and tuberculosis, told La Region that his father "wanted to kill me because of those diseases. Unfortunately, my father does not accept me as I am." 

The local LGBT advocacy group, Comunidad de la Región Loreto, issued the following statement to BuzzFeed condemning the assault: "We hope that this complaint… will be treated seriously by the authorities and that it can generate a change and call the attention of the public to the homophobia that lives inside the home, and is growing in society towards gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and trans people in the Loreto region."