More than three weeks after the tragic death of Stephora Ann-Merci Joseph, an 11-year-old Haitian student who died during a school excursion in the Dominican Republic, the first autopsy results now shed light on the circumstances of the tragedy. According to the preliminary report issued by the National Institute of Forensic Sciences, dated November 19, the child died of “mechanical asphyxia by drowning,” described as a “violent death” that occurred rapidly.
A drowning that occurred within minutes
Dominican judicial authorities released a detailed narrative of events based on surveillance footage and collected witness statements.
According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, Stephora entered the pool at 9:44 a.m., walking confidently, and the pool had no visible depth markings. Upon reaching the middle, the girl realized the water level was different and immediately began sinking, making hand gestures signaling distress.
The prosecution further explains that “at 9:45 a.m., the minor made desperate gestures, struggling to breathe, to stay afloat, to survive.”
Yet no adult intervened. The judicial document specifically points to Francisca Josefina Tavárez Vélez, accused of completely ignoring the child’s distress.
The filing states:
“She walks along the edge of the pool, right beside the victim, without even turning her head. Instead, she goes toward the area where the jacuzzi is located and talks to children who are there, then returns toward the gazebo, again passing close to the victim without noticing anything. This is an extreme example of the lack of care and the negligent, irresponsible manner in which the accused supervised the pool area.”
The child’s body remained at the bottom of the pool for 30 minutes
According to the technical forensic analysis conducted by the High-Technology Crimes and Offenses Department (DICAT), the child’s body remained at the bottom of the pool for approximately 30 minutes before another student noticed it floating upwards and helped remove her from the water.
“She drowned, she drowned!” the boy reportedly shouted while calling out to the accused, Vilma Altagracia Vargas Morel.
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We offer you an integral English translation of the article from the newspaper Listin Diario.
Stephora Joseph died of mechanical asphyxia, according to the autopsy
The document from the Public Prosecutor’s Office continues by explaining that “at 9:45 a.m. the minor, in an act of desperation, struggled to catch her breath, to stay afloat, to survive.”
Student Stephora Ann-Merci Joseph drowned during a school excursion.
Indira Vásquez — Santiago, Dominican Republic
09/12/2025 00:05 | Updated 09/12/2025 09:06
Twenty-five days passed before the presumed cause of death of Stephora Ann-Merci Joseph was released. According to report 552-2025 from the National Institute of Forensic Sciences, dated November 19, the child died of “mechanical asphyxia by drowning, a violent death.”
Of undetermined medico-legal etiology, the mechanism of death was “respiratory insufficiency; death occurred rapidly.”
The document does not specify the exact time of death because, although the factual narrative of the Public Prosecutor’s Office indicates that events began at 9:45 a.m., the official recovery of the body did not take place until 2:05 p.m.
The Facts
According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, “At 9:44 a.m., the victim enters the pool, walking confidently.” The pool had no signage, and upon reaching the middle, the minor “realized the water level was different and immediately began sinking, making hand gestures indicating she was drowning.”
The document adds:
“At 9:45 a.m., the minor makes gestures of despair, struggling to breathe, to stay afloat, to survive.”
The request for precautionary measures states that:
“While she was drowning, the accused, Francisca Josefina Tavárez Vélez, walks along the edge of the pool, right beside the victim, without even turning her head. Instead, she approaches the jacuzzi area and speaks with children who are there, then returns toward the gazebo, passing once again beside the victim without anything catching her attention. This is an extreme example of the lack of care and the negligent and irresponsible manner in which the accused supervised the pool area.”
The child’s body remained at the bottom of the pool for 30 minutes, according to the forensic analysis from DICAT. It was another minor who spotted the body of Stephora, already risen to the surface, and helped remove her.
“She drowned, she drowned!” he shouted while calling for the accused, Vilma Altagracia Vargas Morel.
They did not want to call 911
The case file reveals a chilling detail: when an employee of the estate and several students insisted on calling 911 at 10:20 a.m., the accused Francisca Tavárez replied:
“No. They are calling the principal.”
The first call was thus made to the school, not to emergency services.
The mother was also not informed immediately — she was contacted 1 hour and 25 minutes after her daughter had died, and told she was “vomiting.”
By the time 911 was activated, Stephora was already dead.
Mother called more than an hour later
When the mother arrived shortly after 12:00 p.m., she was told her daughter was alive and under medical care.
She was only informed of the death four hours later, while she remained in front of the estate.
During that time, units from DICRIM, SWAT, and an ambulance entered the property, but no one came out to speak with the mother.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office does not indicate what was done with the child between 10:20 a.m. and 2:05 p.m., when the body was officially recovered.
Violation of protocols
The document explains that the school organized an activity called “Agasajo Guardia de Honor” in violation of Departmental Order 09-2009, which strictly prohibits excursions and recreational activities in rivers, beaches, lakes, and swimming pools.
Despite this prohibition, the school approved the activity, coordinated by the accused, involving 87 students aged 10 to 18, including Stephora.
The location, Hacienda Los Caballos, lacked lifeguards, signage, evacuation routes, and emergency protocols, according to the Civil Defense report.
No verification of swimming ability
Although parents were required to sign an authorization form for pool use, the school never asked whether the children knew how to swim.
The child’s mother told the Public Prosecutor’s Office:
“My daughter did not know how to swim. I thought it was a children’s pool. They did not give me any details.”
Video footage shows a group of at least five children watching as Stephora raised her hands for help while drowning. They pointed at her but no one called for help. Some even moved to other areas of the pool without notifying teachers or any adult present.
The Accused
The Santiago Prosecutor’s Office has filed a request for coercive measures against four members of the leadership and teaching staff of the Leonardo Da Vinci School, accused of involuntary manslaughter, abandonment, and mistreatment of minors:
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Yris del Carmen Reyes Adames, Administrative Director
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Gisela Altagracia de las Mercedes González, General Coordinator and Advisor
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Francisca Josefina Tavárez Vélez, Counselor
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Vilma Altagracia Vargas Morel, Secondary-Level Coordinator
Criminal Responsibility
The Public Prosecutor asserts that the four accused acted with recklessness, negligence, and extreme imprudence, failing in their duty of care and violating national regulations.
The legal charges include:
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Involuntary manslaughter (Article 319 of the Penal Code)
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Abandonment and mistreatment of minors (Article 351-2)
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Violation of the Child and Adolescent Protection Code (Law 136-03)
According to the prosecution, Stephora’s death was the direct result of an illegal excursion in an unsafe location, with total lack of supervision, failure to provide assistance, and non-compliance with established protocols.
