Story By: Juan Mayes, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Golder’s News And Sport
Video Credit: Golders
The father of the Argentine teenager who was beaten to death allegedly by rugby players has said “my son went there to have fun, and they returned him to me in a coffin.”
Argentine murder victim Fernando Baez Sosa’s father Silvino Baez made the comments to local media yesterday (Wednesday) after his 19-year-old son was beaten to death in front of a nightclub in the early hours of Saturday 18th January.
The incident occurred in the coastal city of Villa Gesell in the Buenos Aires province in eastern Argentina.
Local media report 11 rugby players who play for the Argentine side Arsenal Zarate were detained for the murder however one, reported as Pablo Ventura, 20, was released after he was proven to not be associated with the fatal beating.
When speaking about the incident Silvino Baez said he has felt a lot of “support from Argentine society” as the case has been heavily reported by local media.
Silvino went on to say: “We hope for the maximum punishment for those who are guilty, who did this to my son, who killed him.
“We have to trust that justice will be done and we have to trust in the lawyers that are going to carry out the trial.
“I hope this does not go unpunished and never happens to another kid.”
When asked if he would attend a peaceful protest demanding justice for his son, he said: “I would like to but it depends on my wife. I am not going to make her go and make it worse for her.”
When asked if he had been contacted by one of the suspected rugby player’s families, he said: “No, nothing of the sort”, but “I have no grudges towards anyone. I hope justice does its work and for the guilty to pay.”
When speaking about how his and his wife’s lives have changed he said: “Everything is hard for us. We walk around his bed, his room, his pictures, his things. It is really hard.
“I am dead in life. I do not know what I am going to do after this. I hope my son gives me strength and for justice to show that it can do what it is supposed to.
“I do not feel very good. I pretend to be strong for my wife because she is having a really hard time. I have full confidence in the lawyers that represent us.
“There must be justice for my son so it does not happen to another kid because my son went there to have fun, and they returned him to me in a coffin.”
Fernando Baez Sosa, who had reportedly just enrolled to study law, was killed after a reported altercation at a nightclub called ‘Le Brique’ which led to a street fight in which he was beaten to death.
He was reportedly in the coastal city enjoying a relaxing weekend with friends after recently enrolling to study law. He was an only child.
The case is under investigation, however, it is unclear if all of the rugby players will be charged.
The 10 suspects who are still detained have been named in local media as Ayrto Michael Villaz, 20, Macimo Pablo Thomsen, 20, Luciano Pertossi, 18, Lucas Fidel Pretossi, 20, Alejo Milanesi, 20, Tomas Enzo Comelli, 19, Juan Pedro Guarino, 19, Ciro Pertossi, 19, Blas Sinalli, 18 and Matias Franco Benicelli, 20.
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