Latest news with #vehicular homicide
The Independent
6 days ago
- The Independent
Four children aged between 11 and 13 arrested for ‘fatally mowing down woman, 71, in stolen car'
Four children between the ages of 11 and 13 have been arrested for after allegedly stealing a car and fatally mowing down an elderly woman before fleeing the scene. Cecilia De Astis, 71, was walking in Milan on Monday when she was hit by a Citroën and thrown into the air. The car then crashed into a road sign before the perpetrators fled on foot from the scene. Three boys and one girl, aged between 11 and 13, have been taken into custody on suspicion of aggravated vehicular homicide due to their failure to assist the elderly woman. Italian media reports that the suspected driver is 13. In Italian law, children below the age of 14 are not criminally liable. The Juvenile Prosecutor's Office is currently handling the case, but if the suspects are confirmed to be under 14, they will be deemed ineligible for prosecution. Ms De Astis was leaving the 'House of Solidarity' of the Brothers of St. Francis, where she had been invited for lunch, before her death, La Stampa reports. She was crossing Via Saponaro when she was struck by the Citroën, which was allegedly stolen from a French man the day before and had a French licence plate. Emergency services arrived at the scene shortly afterwards but could not save her despite their best efforts. Ms De Astis' sons, Gaetano and Filippo, reportedly arrived at the scene of her death shortly after and collected her remaining belongings. The woman was described in Italian media as having a passion for travel and a dedication to her family. She had dinner with her sons on the night before her death, according to La Stampa. Ms De Astis originally hailed from Ruvo di Puglia in southeastern Italy but moved nearly 1,000km north west to Milan, where she built a new life with her husband, who died around 15 years ago. She worked at the Cederna cotton mill for more than 30 years, but left shortly before the factory's closure in 2020. The death has also sparked political reaction in Italy, with the right-wing populist Northern League calling for the parents to be 'severely punished', according to Il Fatto Quotidiano.
The Sun
6 days ago
- The Sun
Four children aged between 11 & 13 arrested after ‘stealing car & fatally mowing down grandma, 71, in hit & run'
FOUR children have been detained after allegedly stealing a car and mowing down an elderly woman before fleeing the scene. Cecilia De Astis, 71, died after being struck by an out-of-control vehicle while walking in the Italian city of Milan on Monday. 3 3 3 The grandma had just left a lunch at the 'House of Solidarity' - run by the Brothers of St. Francis - in her local Gratosoglio neighbourhood when the tragic incident occurred, reports Italian outlet La Stampa. Local police took four children - aged between 11 and 13 - into custody on suspicion of vehicular homicide aggravated by failure to provide assistance. The children were identified by the T-shirts they were wearing, which had been caught on surveillance cameras from a nearby shop. Under Italian law, children under 14 are not criminally liable. The minors were tracked down at a Roma settlement on Via Selvanesco, according to Il Fatto Quotidiano. The stolen Citroën reportedly skidded, crashed into a curb and struck De Astis - throwing her several metres into the air - before slamming into a nearby road sign. The impact was said to have been devastating - despite emergency services' quick arrival, nothing could be done to save the woman. Her sons, Gaetano and Filippo, arrived at the scene shortly afterwards and collected the few belongings left scattered on the road - including the face of their mum's wristwatch. Originally from Puglia, De Astis had worked for over 30 years as a textile worker at the Cederna cotton mill before retiring, according to La Stampa. Dozens of messages of condolence have reportedly been posted in a social media group created by former mill employees. Tech CEO killed in horror mid-air skydiving crash after 'pal's knee hit his head' as cousin pays tribute to 'family man' De Astis had dinner with her sons the night before the incident. 'The only blessing is that we managed to have dinner together the night before,' they told the newspaper. Her granddaughter said: "She was my second mother, we grew up together. She was a good woman. You can't die like that." The stolen Citroën - which had French number plates - reportedly belonged to a 20-year-old from Strasbourg who was visiting Milan with three friends. He had parked the car about a mile from the scene and gone to visit the Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology with his friends, only to return and find it missing. He reported it stolen on Sunday evening. It comes as a popular travel influencer couple who documented their van life adventures online have died in an off-road crash. Stacey Tourout and Matthew Yeomans reportedly lost control while driving through rough terrain in the mountains near Trout Lake, British Columbia, Canada. The Canadian couple ran the Toyota World Runners YouTube channel, which had over 200,000 subscribers, and also built a following of 72,000 on Instagram.
