Los Angeles, CA – Youth soccer coach Mario Edgardo Garcia-Aquino, 43, is facing child abuse and murder charges in California following the death of 13-year-old Oscar Omar Hernández, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. The case has shocked the community and revealed a disturbing history of alleged assaults involving other minors in recent years.
Timeline of Events
After boarding a train to Lancaster to visit the coach, Oscar was reported missing on March 30, 2025. His body was found days later, abandoned along a road in Ventura County, northwest of Los Angeles.
During Tuesday’s court hearing, prosecutors confirmed that Garcia-Aquino is being charged with:
- Murder with special circumstances: killing during the commission (or attempted commission) of lewd acts with a minor
- Sexual abuse of a 14- or 15-year-old teen in Sylmar in 2022
- Assault with intent to commit a sexual offense against a minor under 16 in Palmdale, in February 2024
These charges make him eligible for the death penalty or life imprisonment without parole.
A Community in Mourning
The boy’s mother, Gladys Bautista, expressed her heartbreak during a press conference:
“He didn’t deserve to be treated like an animal. That was my son.”
Oscar was described as a joyful boy who loved soccer. His murder has raised serious concerns about child protection mechanisms within sports and school environments.
Facts About Child Abuse in California
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 13 boys in the U.S. experience sexual abuse before the age of 18. In California, reports of abuse in settings involving authority figures—such as coaches, teachers, or religious leaders—remain a growing public concern.
California law imposes severe penalties for sex crimes involving minors, especially when aggravating factors like abuse of trust or emotional manipulation are involved.
