Mercedes Lucrecia Ríos was born in Berlín, Usulután Department, El Salvador, on 25 September 1905 (claimed 23 September). At some point, she got married and went on to have a daughter, Maria Luisa Aguilar.
Rios first moved to the United States in 1953, frequently relocating back and forth before eventually staying with family in the United States. Longevity ran in her family: her mother lived to be 104, and her uncles lived into their 90s.
On her 106th birthday in 2011, aside from limited mobility, she had no major illnesses. At that time, she had six grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and seven great-great-grandchildren. She also had one younger sister living in El Salvador. Around 2005, she moved into the Rowland Skill Nursing Home.
Ríos passed away in Covina, California, USA, on 8 May 2016, at the age of 110 years, 226 days.
Her age was verified by an anonymous researcher and Santiago García Medina, and validated by LongeviQuest on 23 June 2024. Her age was previously listed as a pending validation by the Latin American Supercentenarians (LAS) as of 29 June 2021.
* “Covina resident celebrates 106th birthday” – Redlands Daily Facts, 28 September 2011
* “Mercedes Rios Obituary” – Legacy, 9 May 2016