Police have accused a soccer coach of killing a 13-year-old student in Los Angeles. Authorities previously accused him of sexually assaulting another teenager.
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According to a report by Fox 11, police have charged Mario Edgardo Garcia Aquino, 43, with the murder of Oscar Omar Hernandez. The charge also has a special circumstance allegation of murder during the commission or attempted commission of lewd acts with a child.
The 'special circumstance' means Garcia Aquino could face the death penalty or life in prison without parole if convicted. Per the New York Post, Police reportedly arrested the coach on Wednesday, April 2, but on an unrelated charge. He had a warrant for the alleged sexual assault of a 16-year-old boy in February 2024.
Hernandez reportedly went to visit Garcia Aquino on March 28. He boarded a train to Palmdale, California, to help his coach at a soccer complex. However, the family grew concerned when Hernandez didn't return home that evening. His family began searching for him, and his brother, Jose, called his phone. Garcia Aquino allegedly answered the call and told him his brother wasn't available. He later told Hernandez's father that he dropped his son near their house.
The Family Reported The 13-Year-Old Missing
The Hernandez family reported Oscar missing to the police. Per Fox 11, authorities eventually found his body several days later in the woods in Ventura County. Authorities have not revealed the cause of death.
During a press conference, District Attorney Nathan Hochman said, "Part of the reason for this press conference is to get the message out to the victims and even their families. If they have been victimized by this particular individual, Mario Garcia Aquino, to come forward. In order to bring justice not just to the Hernandez family, but to every family that's been victimized by this individual."
A reporter quizzed Hochman about the arrest, saying that if Garcia Aquino were already behind bars for the sexual assault in 2024, he wouldn't have committed murder. Hochman explained, "In every single case, we want justice to be as speedy as possible, but we have to get it right. At the time we end up charging someone, we have to have the evidence to prove it."
After the conference, Gladys Bautista, Oscar's mother, said, "What I ask for is justice. For justice to be found, although my son will never come back."
