The household of a 13-year-old boy discovered useless in a roadside ditch earlier this 12 months is suing the town of Los Angeles, claiming parks division officers didn’t do a correct background verify on the youth soccer coach accused of sexually abusing and murdering the teenager.
Oscar Daniel Hernandez and Gladys Bautista Vasquez, the dad and mom of Oscar Omar Rodriguez, filed a discover of declare in opposition to the town on Sept. 11, contending the Los Angeles Dept. of Parks & Recreation uncovered kids to hurt by granting Mario Garcia-Aquino a allow to teach youth soccer groups.
“The Metropolis of Los Angeles, by its allow software and approval course of, knew or ought to have recognized that Mario Garcia-Aquino could be utilizing metropolis parks solely to groom and sexually abuse kids on a every day or weekly foundation underneath the guise of a boys’ soccer membership,” learn the discover, usually a precursor to a civil lawsuit.
Gladys Hernandez, mom of Oscar Omar Hernandez, weeps whereas speaking about her son throughout a information convention outdoors the Clara Shortridge Foltz Prison Justice Middle in Los Angeles, CA on April 30, 2025.
(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Instances)
Oscar performed for the Hurricane Valley Boys Soccer Membership within the Sylmar space, which Garcia-Aquino coached. The household’s lawyer, Michael Carrillo, mentioned the town was negligent by failing to inform dad and mom that he’d twice confronted sexual abuse allegations from gamers previously.
The boy was discovered useless in Ventura County in April, days after touring to Palmdale to Garcia-Aquino’s residence the place he was supposed to assist his coach make soccer jerseys. Prosecutors have since accused Garcia-Aquino of killing the teenager after sexually assaulting him. Oscar died of alcohol poisoning, data present.
Garcia-Aquino is now awaiting trial for Oscar’s homicide and the prior intercourse abuse allegations. He has pleaded not responsible to all costs.
A police reserving photograph of Mario Edgardo Garcia-Aquino, 43, accused of killing 13-year-old Oscar Omar Hernandez on March, 28 2025.
(Jessica Foster/Courtesy of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Depertment)
The Los Angeles Police Division investigated an allegation of intercourse abuse in opposition to Garcia-Aquino in late 2022, officers beforehand informed The Instances, however a legal case was by no means filed as a result of the sufferer wouldn’t cooperate with legislation enforcement. A second participant accused Garcia-Aquino of abuse in 2024, prompting a sheriff’s division investigation.
However the L.A. County district lawyer’s workplace took greater than 10 months to file costs, a earlier Instances investigation confirmed, elevating questions on whether or not prosecutors missed an opportunity to arrest the coach earlier than the alleged killing.
Undated handout photograph of Oscar Omar Hernandez. The seventh grader was killed March 28 and his physique was discovered 5 days after he left his Solar Valley residence to fulfill together with his coach in Lancaster.
(Courtesy of Hernandez household)
“We’d count on for the LAPD to tell the town that they work for that ‘Hey perhaps this man ought to be on the don’t allow listing,’” mentioned Michael Carrillo, one of many household’s attorneys. “That may be a really rational affordable strategy. Something to stop this man from being round youngsters.”
Garcia-Aquino is undocumented, and information of his arrest additionally beforehand drew a livid response from the U.S. Division of Homeland Safety, which referred to as him a “wicked unlawful alien who ought to have by no means been on this nation,” in a submit on X earlier this 12 months. Carrillo, nevertheless, mentioned it will be “unsuitable” in charge the homicide on immigration insurance policies and that the household’s frustration lies with metropolis and county officers.
A spokesman for the town lawyer’s workplace mentioned the company doesn’t touch upon pending litigation. Calls and e-mails to the Division of Parks and Recreation weren’t returned. Carrillo mentioned he didn’t know when Garcia-Aquino’s teaching allow was final renewed.
Garcia-Aquino is due again in courtroom subsequent month.
