“They took away a child worker”: family cries out for justice for the death of Miguel Ángel, 17 years old

Santo Domingo.– With a broken voice and amidst a pain they describe as “a nightmare”, family and coworkers of Miguel Ángel Martínez Sánchez, 17 years old, demanded justice for the death of the teenager, who received a shot in the chest during an altercation in which the person responsible would allegedly be a member of the National Police after firing into the air in the midst of the dispute with motorcyclists.

The family insists that Miguel Ángel was a humble, obedient, and hardworking boy, who was just “making a living” by washing cars and dreamed of making his way in baseball, which was not possible. “We wish it were a dream and to wake up from this terrible nightmare,” expressed his aunt Belkis, recalling that the young man was part of a very close-knit family and that his absence has left an irreversible void.

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“We are not going to have a family outing like we used to… not even a Christmas.” His relatives and colleagues say that Miguel Ángel was respectful and supportive, with good behavior and good references even among clients of the car wash: “he wanted to become a great baseball player and played baseball… unfortunately he couldn’t make it and dedicated himself to washing cars,” said his aunt. Grandmother: “Nobody can be above the law” Her grandmother, Mrs. Austria, stated that the authorities have told them that they are “working on it”, but demanded results and sanctions… “My son was a hardworking boy… obedient… he never spoke back to me,” she declared. He assured that, although they are a humble family, they will not accept impunity.

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“Maybe that person has money, but no one can go above the law… that man should pay for what he did.” The accounts from the laundry room are chilling. Brian Alexander, the young man’s companion, said that Miguel Ángel agonized in front of them after being shot. “He told me to take him, not to let him die… and he died.” Other workers insist that Miguel Ángel was not involved in the conflict, but approached because he believed it was a vehicle collision. “He heard a commotion… he thought it was an accident… when he realized it, he had already been hit,” narrated another colleague. Amidst the crying, the laundry employees asserted that the death could have been avoided and that the young man was just a victim of being “in the wrong place.” According to the testimonies, and a video that went viral on social media, the driver of a Gipeta would have fired shots into the air and one hit the teenager. It was also indicated that the person responsible would allegedly be a member of the National Police.

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Family and colleagues report that they have not received a clear answer as to whether the person who fired the shot is under arrest. “They only say that he surrendered, but we don’t have the exact details… justice here is only for the rich,” they claimed. The laundry remained closed until its burial in the Cristo Redentor cemetery, and this Tuesday the workers resumed work with the same claim: justice.