The number of woman murdered continues to rise in Baja California

MEXICALI, B.C.(KYMA, KECY)-There has been a rise in homicides in Baja California that is starting to alarm the community.

In Mexicali, five women have been murdered in the last week alone.

In a Monday morning press conference, Baja California's prosecution attorney Guillermo Ruiz Hernandez declared that 26 women have been murdered this year.

"Seven of the homicides have been classified as hate crimes against women," said Hernandez.

According to Hernandez, only one of the five-woman murdered last week in Mexicali has been classified as a hate crime.

Whether the other four murders were hate crimes is unclear.

Hernandez says classifying a homicide as a hate crime requires additional investigation and additional resources that Baja California is lacking.

"It is up to the federal government, they have to decide if they will continue the further investigation into the homicides of women and they will decide if a gender alert will be issued in Baja California," said Hernandez.

A gender alert would require Mexico to put in more resources into investigating the homicides.