Judicial authorities in the Dominican Republic have announced the arrest of four senior staff members at the Leonardo Da Vinci School following the death of Stephora Anne-Mircie Joseph, an 11-year-old Haitian student.
Prosecutors state that investigators have obtained evidence showing significant lapses in organizing and supervising the school outing, such as inadequate staff oversight and insufficient risk assessment, which contributed directly to the circumstances leading to the tragedy.
As reported by Listín Diario, the individuals taken into custody are:
- Yris del Carmen Reyes Adames, Administrative Director
- Gisela González, General Coordinator and member of the leadership team
- Francisca Josefina Tavarez Vélez, Counselor
- Vilma Altagracia Vargas Morel, Secondary Level Coordinator
All four are facing allegations of negligence identified as significant in the investigation into the sequence of events resulting in the student’s death.
Video Evidence Cited as Key to the Investigation
Prosecutors state the video footage clearly documents staff members failing to properly supervise Stephora during the outing. It shows supervisors not adhering to required safety procedures, and that the environment where Stephora was placed did not meet established safety standards.
Although authorities have not released the full footage to the public, they assert that its content directly implicates the school officials now under arrest.
The four staff members have been charged with “involuntary manslaughter,” a characterization the prosecutor’s office considers appropriate given preliminary investigative findings indicating the child’s death might have been prevented.
Stephora’s death, reported to have occurred during a school activity, has led to significant attention both within the school community and more broadly, in part due to her young age and her Haitian nationality, in the context of ongoing migration-related issues between the two countries.
The death of Stephora Anne-Mircie Joseph has sparked outrage among the Haitian diaspora and several human rights organizations, who are calling for full transparency regarding the circumstances of the tragedy. For many, the case highlights the urgent need for stricter oversight and greater protections for students, especially those from vulnerable communities.
Investigators are continuing their work to establish individual and institutional responsibilities. The four detained officials are expected to appear before a judge in the coming days for a pretrial detention hearing.
The Dominican prosecutor’s office says it is committed to conducting a “thorough and impartial investigation” to ensure justice for Stephora and her family.
