The Guatemalan father of a girl kidnapped and murdered in North Carolina has been denied a temporary visa to enter the U.S. for her funeral.
13-year-old Hania Aguilar was abducted outside her home in early November.
Authorities say a body found last week was preliminarily identified as Aguilar, though a final confirmation will be made using dental records.
An online petition requesting a temporary visa for Aguilar’s father garnered more than 50,000 signatures.
The father’s lawyer says officials denied the visa because the father “doesn’t have enough ties to the country.”
The FBI is offering a $25,000 reward in Hania Aguilar’s case, and the state of North Carolina is offering a $5,000 reward.