A 13-year-old boy accused of killing a Prada manager celebrating her 30th birthday with a statue he tossed off a balcony in Italy had a history of throwing objects from a height, prosecutors have claimed.
Italian prosecutors have claimed that the teen’s parents failed to take precautions despite knowing about his “habit” of throwing items before Chiara Jaconis’ September 2024 death, Italian outlet Il Mattino reported.
The boy, described by prosecutors as “problematic,” previously threw a tablet, a remote control belonging to an air conditioning unit, and clothespins, La Ragione reported.
Around 15 months before Jaconis’ death, the boy’s mom confided in a childminder where she admitted she was concerned he could throw more items from the balcony.
Jaconis, from Padua, was wheeling her luggage with her partner Livio Rousseau, through Naples’ Spanish Quarters, en route to the airport, when she was struck by the 4.4-pound ancient Egyptian statuette.
The statuette fell approximately 32 feet before hitting Jaconis on her head, leaving her with severe injuries before she died days later.
The boy was cleared of any wrongdoing in relation to Jaconis’ death, as in Italy, children under 14 cannot be held liable for a crime. However, prosecutors have called for the teen’s parents to be charged with manslaughter.
Prosecutors claimed the parents “failed to strengthen the locks” to prevent their son from accessing the balcony in the first place.
His parents strongly deny any wrongdoing – with their lawyer Carlo Bianco saying they have “no case to answer.”
“This is a tragedy that has struck two respectable families, that of poor Chiara and that of the two professionals,” he said.
A hearing will be held June 26 to determine whether the parents should face trial – with Jaconis’ dad, Gianfranco, calling for justice.
“The only consolation that will help us face this new torturous journey, made up of hearings, testimonies, and interrogations, is that we are finally getting to the truth – the one we have always sought,” he said.
Jaconis had worked for Prada since October 2022 and she managed 15 stores across France, Monaco and Belgium regions, according to her LinkedIn.
She previously worked for the fashion brands L’Oréal, Givenchy, and Christian Louboutin in Paris.
