Western prosecutors on Wednesday charged four suspects in the robbery-homicide of a 12-year-old boy during a carjacking in San Bernardo early Tuesday, June 23. The two adolescents and two adults were placed in provisional internment and preventive prison.
According to regional prosecutor Paulina Díaz and prosecutor Leonardo Tapia, the suspects began at 00:30 by robbing a white Mitsubishi at a Shell service station on Eyzaguirre Street. They brandished knives, threatened the driver and attendant, and took jewelry, documents and cash.
At 01:00 they approached an off-duty Carabineros officer at the intersection of Portales Avenue and Vicente Pérez Rosales. They intimidated him with knives, stole a backpack and assaulted him, causing facial contusion and a fractured clavicle.
The most serious incident occurred when they stopped a red Peugeot 2008 carrying a family returning from Argentina. The suspects assaulted the occupants to force them out. The 12-year-old boy, identified as A.F.A.J., remained fastened by the seatbelt and was dragged when one suspect fled in the vehicle. Prosecutor Díaz stated the suspects noticed the risk yet continued fleeing. The boy died from mechanical asphyxia and traumatic injuries.
The boy’s family issued a statement thanking institutional support and calling for justice. President José Antonio Kast praised the arrests on X. The Ministry of Security also sent an official letter to 307 municipalities requesting information on the Programa de Seguridad Integral para Niños, Niñas y Adolescentes 24 Horas, in which one of the adolescent suspects had previously participated.
