The uncle had picked him up Francesco Pio, was leaving the house. On the patio he suddenly found himself in front of two pit bulls. One of them bit him on the leg. The man lowered himself in pain and at this point the dogs turned on the poor child. A very violent, very rapid attack that left him no escape. The attempts of his uncle and a brother who rushed to the scene were useless.
On the day of saying goodbye to the 13-month-old baby, the little boy’s grandfather told the mayor of Eboli, Mario Contewho for today had proclaimed the city’s mourning, the terrible moments of the tragedy and also all his impotence: he witnessed the scene but was unable to intervene since he was beyond the closed gate.
The joyful face of a beautiful child, on the funeral posters (“in heaven there is one more Angel who smiles, the little and sweet Francesco Pio D’Amaro”), is the only happy image of a very sad day that united the communities of Eboli, in whose hamlet of Campolongo the tragedy occurred, and the nearby Battipaglia, where the funeral was celebrated in the church of Santissimi Giuseppe e Fortunato in Borgo Aversana.
Voice broken by emotion for the parish priest, father Franco Roca: «There are no words to deal with this loss. I will ask the Holy Spirit for help.” The small white coffin, covered in flowers, was greeted by applause and the verses of the song “Danzami nei dream” by Salvatore Sorriso ft Andrea Zeta.
Virginia D’Amaro she is the aunt of Francesco Pio, father’s sister. «We have no words for what happened. My thoughts go to my nephew who is no longer here. Regardless of who is to blame, he is no longer here. He was like a son. My family is just asking for justice. It is a pain that only those who have experienced it can understand.”
Some truths may be known from the autopsy: at the moment there are five under investigation for manslaughter, including the child’s mother, but today is the day of pain. «We didn’t know the family – say some women in the square in front of the church – but it was right to be here today. Francesco Pio is now an angel who has flown to heaven. I’m a mother – explains one in particular – I can’t imagine the pain of this loss.”
«I am close to this family because of the tragedy that has struck them. I continue to reiterate that regulation is necessary for those who have these dogs, a license is needed. I am impressed by the violence with which the pit bulls attacked the child, leaving him no escape”, explains the mayor With you. In the evening, a torchlight procession to express solidarity that will not stop today. For Francesco Pio tomorrow the burial in the Salerno cemetery, in the Campo degli Angeli, where other children rest.
It will be held tonight at 7.30pm torchlight procession to remember Francesco Pio. The gathering is planned at Casina Rossa near the house where the tragedy occurred. The mayor will also participate to «give further support and comfort to this family devastated by pain. The whole community will come together to express its closeness to the family of the little boy who died in such devastating circumstances.”
For today, the day on which the funeral was celebrated, the mayor ordered the city’s mourning and the display of flags at half-mast on the municipal house, inviting fellow citizens, owners of commercial activities, public offices, organizations political, social and productive, to observe a minute’s silence during the celebrations of the child’s funeral.
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