The investigation into the death of Chiara Jaconis, a 30-year-old Prada manager, has been reopened two years after she was struck by a statue allegedly thrown from a balcony by a 13-year-old boy in Naples, Italy, in September 2024. An Italian court ordered the case to be reopened as they seek to determine the circumstances surrounding her death, with no convictions made to date, according to La Repubblica.
Judges from Italy’s Juvenile Court of Appeals have mandated a ballistics assessment to identify the type of statuette involved in the incident. Investigators discovered that two statuettes fell from a height on the day of the incident: a 4.85-pound statuette of Pharaoh Akhenaten and a 10-pound bust of Queen Nefertiti. The investigation has not yet determined which statuette struck Jaconis, who was in Naples celebrating her 30th birthday.
Jaconis' mother, Cristina Venturi, expressed her continued search for justice, stating, "Two years have passed and we are still waiting for justice." She emphasized the need for accountability regarding her daughter's death. Venturi shared a photo of her daughter online, reflecting on the loss.
Jaconis was struck by the object, which fell approximately 32 feet, while she was carrying her luggage through the Spanish Quarters of Naples with her boyfriend, Livio Rousseau. Authorities reported that the statuette was pushed off a third-floor balcony by a 13-year-old boy, who cannot be held criminally responsible under Italian law due to his age.
The boy's parents have been charged with manslaughter for allegedly failing to supervise him and for not securing the balcony against his access. Prosecutors indicated that the parents were aware of the boy's behavior, which included throwing various objects from heights. The parents have denied any wrongdoing. Jaconis had been employed by Prada since October 2022, managing 15 stores across France, Monaco, and Belgium, and had previously worked for other fashion brands including L’Oréal, Givenchy, and Christian Louboutin.