Santo Domingo. – The Public Ministry and the Ministry of Education (Minerd) will carry out a joint inspection Leonardo Da Vinci Schoollocated in Santiago de los Caballeros, after the death of Stephora Anne-Mircie Joseph, 11 years old, during an excursion to the Los Caballos ranch, in Gurabo, with the aim of identifying any practice that could threaten the best interest of edd minors.
The tragedy occurred on November 14, when the minor died in one of the pools there, and preliminary investigations by the Public Ministry indicate that the educational center transferred 87 children with only three caregivers, without lifeguards or vests, and without verifying whether the students knew how to swim.
As part of the legal actions, the prosecution body arrested the administrative director of the center, Yris del Carmen Reyes Adamesas well as Gisela González, general coordinator; Francisca Josefina Tavárez Vélez, counselor; and Vilma Altagracia Vargas Morel, secondary level coordinator. They are all accused of manslaughter.
The agency explained that the investigation is in charge of the deputy prosecutor Wilson Camacho and the court attorney Olga Diná Keychainsresponsible for the General Directorate of Prosecution of the Public Ministry and the National Directorate of Children, Adolescents and Families (DINNAF).
In addition, audiovisual material has been reviewed that shows a extreme negligence on the part of caregivers and the staff in charge of organizing the trip, which would have contributed to the girl’s death.
The joint inspection with the Ministry of Education will allow us to verify whether the school complied with the security protocols and the rules that protect minors, in addition to preventing future risk situations.
