Parents could face manslaughter charges as statue thrown off balcony kills woman | World | News

The parents of a teenager who is accused of throwing a heavy statuette from a balcony could be facing manslaughter charges after a woman was killed.

Chiara Jaconis, 30, had been celebrating her birthday with a holiday to Naples, Italy with her boyfriend when she was fatally struck by an onyx statue that was allegedly thrown from a balcony by a 13-year-old boy on September 15, 2024. The couple had been walking down a quiet street in the city when the boy reportedly threw the 4.4lbs figure from the third-floor residence, striking Chiara on the head.

CCTV footage captured the shocking the moment Chiara was hit. She immediately fell to the ground motionless as her boyfriend appeared uncertain about what happened, the Mirror reports.

Paramedics arrived at the scene and Chiara was taken to hospital where she underwent emergency surgery, but died two days later from traumatic brain injuries.

The teen accused of throwing the statue was cleared by a juvenile court due to him being under 14 – meaning he cannot be held criminally responsible under Italian law.

Prosecutors are now arguing that Chiara’s death could have been prevented had the boy’s parents been keeping a closer eye on him. They are requesting that his parents be charged with negligent manslaughter as it is alleged that the teen has previously carried out similar dangerous acts.

The couple strongly deny any wrongdoing and have claimed the statuette did not belong to them, the Mail reported.

The parents have also appealed the court’s decision to clear their son’s name due to his age. They instead argue he should be acquitted on the basis of facts of the case, rather than due to his age.

The incident has led to widespread attention in Italy and raised questions about parental responsibility in densely populated areas. A preliminary hearing is due to go ahead on June 26.