Paola Soulemanovic, 33, has been arrested by local police in Milan and taken to the San Vittore prison to serve a three-year and ten-month cumulative sentence for a series of thefts committed between 2017 and 2019.
The arrest is connected to a tragic incident on August 11, when her 13-year-old son, driving a stolen car, struck and killed 71-year-old Cecilia De Astis in the Gratosoglio neighborhood, south of Milan. The vehicle also contained three other minors, including another of Soulemanovic’s sons.
Police apprehended the mother in the gardens on Viale Giovanni da Cermenate, not far from the encampment on Via Selvanesco where she lived with other families of Bosnian origin. She was found in possession of over 130 grams of gold jewelry and more than €1,500 in cash, leading to an additional charge of receiving stolen goods.
Her children, who are not criminally liable as they are under 14, have been placed in a protective community. This emergency measure, ordered by the Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office under Article 403 of the Civil Code, is enacted when a minor is deemed to be in “grave peril for their psychological or physical well-being within the family environment.” The custody order, initially issued on an emergency basis, was validated by a judge on Saturday, August 16.
The group of minors was first located on the eve of the Ferragosto holiday in a settlement in Beinasco, near Turin. Hours after that encounter, the 13-year-old was behind the wheel of the white Citroën that killed De Astis. He fled the scene but was later tracked down by police on Viale da Cermenate—the same location where his mother was later arrested.
Two other children were in the car during the fatal crash. An 11-year-old girl was subsequently located by police on the A6 Turin-Savona highway near the Fossano toll booth (Cuneo). A fourth child, also 11 years old, remains at large and is believed to have fled the San Paolo area in southern Milan.
A special guardian/defender has been appointed for the three minors who were found. A hearing before the Juvenile Court is scheduled for August 27, where the parents will be required to appear. During the hearing, which will be presided over by a professional and an honorary judge, the children will also be given an opportunity to speak. Following testimonies from the parents, the court will decide on the most suitable protective measures for the children, which will most likely be placement in a community—a measure that will also apply to the fourth child once he is located.
© Copyright ANSA – All Rights Reserved