Three minors arrested after Milan hit and run

Four children aged 11 to 13 are in custody after a stolen car killed a 71-year-old woman in Milan, as the city confronts youth crime and unauthorised camps.

Three minors arrested after fatal Milan hit and run

In Milan's Gratosoglio district, a stolen Citroën with a French plate struck Cecilia De Astis, 71, as she walked on August 11. The car lost control, hit the curb and a road sign before the victim died at the hospital. Four children, aged 11 to 13, were arrested on suspicion of vehicular homicide aggravated by failure to provide assistance. The driver is 13; authorities say the other three are 12 and 11. Italian law does not allow charging them as they are under the age of criminal responsibility, which is 14. Witnesses say two of the children fled to a nearby Roma camp on Via Selvanesco after the crash, where police later detained them. The vehicle is reported to have been the property of a 20-year-old Strasbourg resident who reported it stolen after returning from a museum visit.

Investigators are reviewing fingerprints, phone records and CCTV while the case is expected to move to the juvenile prosecutor’s office. Residents in the surrounding blocks reported a sense of unease and noted a rise in petty thefts linked to the unauthorised settlement near Via Selvanesco. Police are also examining whether the camp’s presence influenced the incident or subsequent flight from the scene.

The incident places a sharp lens on how cities handle juvenile crime and unauthorized camps. Italy’s age of criminal responsibility means the suspects cannot be charged as adults or even tried in regular courts, highlighting a tension between accountability and protection for very young offenders. Political leaders quickly framed the episode in partisan terms, turning a tragic event into a debate about Roma settlements and public safety. This kind of rhetoric risks heightening stigma around vulnerable communities while obscuring the criminal justice issue at hand. The case also tests local police resources as they probe the camp’s role and search for more evidence across the neighbourhood. In short, the city faces a tough question: how to protect residents while ensuring fair treatment for youths who are still learning to navigate adulthood.

As Milan weighs policy responses, the story underscores a broader trend: when streets feel unsafe, political narratives rush in. The next steps—from juvenile court handling to potential reforms in youth justice and camp regulation—will signal how Milan and similar cities balance safety, fairness and community cohesion.

Highlights

The case remains a flash point for debates on safety, accountability and how cities manage informal settlements.