Italian prosecutors have moved to charge the parents of a 13-year-old boy in connection with the death of a tourist in Naples, saying the incident could have been prevented. A woman was killed by a falling object hurled from the balcony by the teen.
Authorities say the boy tossed a 4.4-pound onyx statuette from a building on Sept. 15, 2024, hitting and killing a 30-year-old Chiara Jaconis as she walked through the Spanish Quarters with her boyfriend, Livio Rousseau. She suffered severe brain injuries and passed later on in a hospital, New York Post reports.
Prosecutors allege the parents “should have supervised the boy,” arguing that proper oversight would have avoided the killing, according to Italian outlet Today. Because the boy is under 14, he cannot be held criminally liable under Italian law. He was previously cleared by a juvenile court.
The parents deny wrongdoing. Their lawyer has said they have “no case to answer” and maintain the statuette was not their property. A hearing is scheduled for June 26 to determine whether the case against the parents will proceed to trial.
Surveillance footage captured the moments before the impact. Jaconis was walking slightly ahead of Rousseau when he shouted “Chiara” and cried “Oh my God” before calling for help. He was seen rushing to assist her after she collapsed on the street.
Jaconis, originally from Padua, was in Naples celebrating her 30th birthday at the time of the incident. She worked as a manager for Prada, overseeing 15 stores across France, Monaco, and Belgium. She had held the role since October 2022.
Before joining Prada, Jaconis worked for L’Oreal, Givenchy, and Christian Louboutin in Paris. Earlier in her career, she worked as a sales assistant at Disneyland Paris in 2016. The case has drawn national attention in Italy. Officials in multiple cities spoke out following her death.
“It is a great sorrow, a tragedy that deeply affects all of us,” said Naples Mayor Gaetano Manfredi. Padua Mayor Sergio Giordani described the incident as “absurd and tragic.” Juvenile prosecutors concluded their investigation eight months after the incident, leading to the current charges against the parents.
Authorities say the boy tossed a 4.4-pound onyx statuette from a building on Sept. 15, 2024, hitting and killing a 30-year-old Chiara Jaconis as she walked through the Spanish Quarters with her boyfriend, Livio Rousseau. She suffered severe brain injuries and passed later on in a hospital, New York Post reports.
Prosecutors allege the parents “should have supervised the boy,” arguing that proper oversight would have avoided the killing, according to Italian outlet Today. Because the boy is under 14, he cannot be held criminally liable under Italian law. He was previously cleared by a juvenile court.
The parents deny wrongdoing. Their lawyer has said they have “no case to answer” and maintain the statuette was not their property. A hearing is scheduled for June 26 to determine whether the case against the parents will proceed to trial.
Surveillance footage captured the moments before the impact. Jaconis was walking slightly ahead of Rousseau when he shouted “Chiara” and cried “Oh my God” before calling for help. He was seen rushing to assist her after she collapsed on the street.
Jaconis, originally from Padua, was in Naples celebrating her 30th birthday at the time of the incident. She worked as a manager for Prada, overseeing 15 stores across France, Monaco, and Belgium. She had held the role since October 2022.
Before joining Prada, Jaconis worked for L’Oreal, Givenchy, and Christian Louboutin in Paris. Earlier in her career, she worked as a sales assistant at Disneyland Paris in 2016. The case has drawn national attention in Italy. Officials in multiple cities spoke out following her death.
“It is a great sorrow, a tragedy that deeply affects all of us,” said Naples Mayor Gaetano Manfredi. Padua Mayor Sergio Giordani described the incident as “absurd and tragic.” Juvenile prosecutors concluded their investigation eight months after the incident, leading to the current charges against the parents.
