into account, inter alia, the steps taken to obtain justice and the existence of close family ties.263 156. In fact, the body of evidence in this case confirms that Mrs. M.B.S. and Mr. S.R.S. endured profound suffering and anguish to the detriment of their psychological and moral integrity, due to the murder of their daughter, Márcia Barbosa de Souza, and the actions of the State authorities with respect to the investigation of the facts. In this regard Márcia’s mother, M.B.S., stated that: I [...] really got very sick, I still have health problems, after […] Márcia’s death, I had depression for a time, I still take medication for my blood pressure [...] [I] no longer enjoy life. Since they took my daughter away, since they took her life, I have no desire to live anymore. My life is just suffering264. 157. She also stated that the father of Márcia Barbosa de Souza experienced similar feelings, and become ill and died as a result of alcoholism, which began during his search for justice for the death of his daughter.265 158. Likewise, Márcia Barbosa de Souza’s sister, Mt.B.S., stated that: My mother [...] is very fragile because of this. [A]fter my sister’s death, she became very ill and had to take sedatives to sleep, she developed [high] blood pressure problems [...] [M]y father became an alcoholic […] he died very early […] because of his drinking.266 159. In addition, the psychosocial opinion rendered by the expert witness Gilberta Santos Soares corroborated the statements made by the mother and sister of Márcia Barbosa de Souza. The expert concluded that: Psychological distress is the greatest suffering endured by Mrs. M.B.S., who lives with feelings of sadness, fear, anguish, despair, loneliness, feelings of emptiness, fragility, isolation, emotional instability and loss of interest in life. […] […] as for Márcia’s father, his addiction to alcohol worsened, with a high level of dependence. As a result, he developed the disease that caused his premature death, at the age of only 50. His death occurred 11 years after Márcia’s murder, after the trial was held and the prison sentence defined, followed by the deputy’s appeal to remain at liberty and his death. The addiction may have contributed to alleviate his pain and the absence of Márcia, his distress and feelings of impotence and futility, derived from observing the negligence of the institutions towards the family, leading him to a state of lethargy and oblivion.267 160. At the same time, the evidence in the case file shows that this case received extensive media coverage, with approximately 320 newspaper articles published over a period of 10 years.268 In its coverage of the case, the media speculated about Márcia's personal life and of Guachalá Chimbo et al. v. Ecuador, supra, para. 217. 263 Cf. Case of Bámaca Velásquez v. Guatemala. Merits. Judgment of November 25, 2000. Series C No. 70, para. 163, and Case of Guachalá Chimbo et al. v. Ecuador, supra, para. 217. Cf. Statement of M.B.S. rendered by affidavit, supra (evidence file, folio 10172). Cf. Statement of M.B.S. rendered by affidavit, supra (evidence file, folio 10173). 266 Cf. Statement of Mt.B.S. rendered by affidavit, supra (evidence file, folios 10180 and 10181). 267 Cf. Psychosocial expert opinion of Gilberta Santos Soares rendered by affidavit, supra (evidence file, folios 10344, 10353 and 10354). 268 Cf. AZEVÊDO, Sandra Raquew dos Santos. “La Violencia de Genero en las Páginas de los Periódicos” (Gender Violence in the Newspaper Pages” BOCC. On-line Library of: Ciências da Comunicação, v. 1, 2010 (evidence file, folios 5842, 5848 and 5849). 264 265 -46-