The death of Giancarlo Esposito, which occurred on 2 July 2014 in the municipal swimming pool of Campagnano, continues to spark debate and controversy. The recent ruling of the Court of Appeal of Catanzaro confirmed the acquittal for the five defendants, already declared not guilty by the Court of Cosenza two years ago.
Carmine Manna, legal representative of the company that manages the sports facility, and the educators Franca Manna, Luana Coscarello, Martina Gallo and Ilaria Bove were once again cleared. The Prosecutor’s Office, which had requested a five-year prison sentence for each of the accused, also saw its appeal rejected at second instance. The defense lawyers Marcello Manna, Concetta Coscarella and Sabrina Rondinelli effectively demonstrated their thesis, obtaining a new acquittal for their clients.
During the trial, the cause of Giancarlo’s death was at the center of an intense expert debate. The prosecutor supported the theory of drowning, while the defenders leaned towards the child’s health problems. To resolve the dispute, the judge ordered a third appraisal. The expert in charge, Dr. Alessandro Bocchini, concluded that little Giancarlo’s death was due to acute fulminant myocarditis.
According to Dr. Bocchini, histological and histochemical investigations had revealed the presence of foci of myocarditis in the child’s heart. “I rule out the possibility that it was drowning,” declared Bocchini, explaining that Giancarlo died suddenly due to myocarditis, with immediate loss of consciousness. The presence of foci of myocarditis was considered definitive evidence to exclude drowning.
The Prosecutor’s Office continued to support the theory of drowning until the end, based on various symptoms found during the autopsy. These include the presence of a foamy fungus in the larynx and other signs detected in the liver and bowels of the child. However, Bocchini was adamant in his assessment: “The cause of death is myocarditis without fear of contradiction.” To strengthen this conclusion there was also some crucial evidence: the absence of water in the lungs and stomach and the fact that Giancarlo was still alive when he was loaded into the ambulance.
The second degree sentence therefore confirms the validity of the defense arguments. The defendants were once again acquitted of the charge of manslaughter, with the confirmation that little Giancarlo’s death was caused by acute fulminant myocarditis, and not by drowning.
Original article
