Buenos Aires, February 6 (NA) — The 30th anniversary of the death of Marcela Brenda Iglesias, known as “Marcelita,” who died at the age of six after being crushed by an iron sculpture in Buenos Aires, is being commemorated, and her family continues to seek justice. In an interview with the Argentine News Agency, Nora Ribaudo, the victim's mother, explained that on February 7, they will commemorate another anniversary at the Paseo de la Infanta, alongside Mothers of Pain and other relatives, to lay a flower and speak in their constant plea for justice. The girl died in February 1996 during a recreational outing from a children's colony in Palermo, when a metal art piece detached from its base, fell on her, and caused a fatal outcome. Following the tragedy, a criminal case was opened for negligent homicide and injuries, pointing to both the creator of the art piece and those responsible for its display and control in the public space, as well as city government officials who came under investigation. Ribaudo herself mentioned a total of 117 appeals over the years, and in the mid-2000s, local justice declared the case statute-barred, which left the accused without a final sentence and closed the criminal process in Argentina. After decades of struggle, in August 2025, the victim's parents presented their case to judges in Costa Rica, arguing that the Argentine state had not guaranteed adequate safety conditions or an effective investigation; they demanded reparations, recognition of responsibility, and measures to prevent similar incidents. Although the site of the accident was renamed “Marcela Brenda Iglesias” and the Court was expected to issue a response between the end of last year and early 2026, they have not yet received a final verdict and continue to wait.
