The parents of a 13-year-old Italian boy are facing manslaughter charges after their son was accused of killing a tourist by throwing a heavy statuette from a balcony.
Chiara Jaconis, 30, was celebrating her birthday in Naples with her boyfriend in 2024 when she was fatally struck by a 2kg figure as she walked down the street.
The teen accused of throwing the object was cleared by a juvenile court due to his age, but prosecutors now argue that Chiara’s death could have been prevented if the boy’s parents had kept a closer eye on him.
Prosecutors are now requesting that the teen’s mother and father be charged with negligent manslaughter as the schoolboy is alleged to have carried out similar dangerous acts in the past.
However, the couple strongly deny any wrongdoing and have claimed the statuette did not belong to them.
They have also appealed the court’s decision to clear their son because of his age, arguing he should be acquitted based on the facts of the case rather than simply because of his age.
CCTV footage captured the horrifying moment Chiara was killed, with the clip showing the tourist walking down Naples’ Spanish Quarters with her boyfriend Livio Rousseau when she is suddenly hit and falls motionless to the floor.
In the seconds that follow, her boyfriend falls to his knees as he screams and calls for help.
Chiara Jaconis was killed in 2024 after she was struck in the head by a falling statue. CCTV footage captured the horrific moment
Italian-born Chiara lived in Paris and was in Naples celebrating her birthday at the time of the tragedy
Paramedics arrived at the scene and Chiara was taken to hospital, where she died two days later from traumatic brain injuries, local media reported at the time.
According to Italian media, the couple were heading to the airport to take a flight to Padua, Italy, when Chiara was struck by the onyx bust.
The statuette – which depicted an ancient pagan deity – reportedly fell from a third floor apartment as Chiara walked past.
The figure, which weighed just over 2kg, fell from a height of ten metres, and before hitting the ground, shattered on the balcony below, on the second floor, breaking.
One of the pieces struck Chiara on the head, severely injuring her. Several people, including some minors, were present in the apartment where the statuette was located, according to local media.
Italian-born Chiara worked as a store manager for the fashion house Prada and had spent some time working for the brand in France.
At a memorial event held for her last year, her mother said: ‘I invite you to live life in colour, because that’s what she always did.’
At a candlelit vigil held in Naples’ Spanish Quarters, local politicians paid tribute to Chiara.
Naples’ Mayor Gaetano Manfredi, also shared a statement, calling her death ‘a great sorrow, a tragedy that deeply affects us all’.
The case has drawn widespread attention in Italy, raising questions about parental responsibility and safety in densely populated urban areas.
A preliminary hearing is due to go ahead on June 26.
