A 13-year-old soccer player’s body was found 70 miles from home, with his coach—who helped search for him—now jailed on unrelated sexual assault charges as questions mount about his involvement.
At a Glance
- Oscar Omar Hernandez, 13, was found dead in Oxnard, California, after being missing for four days
- His soccer coach, Mario Edgardo Garcia Aquino, was the last person seen with Oscar and picked up the boy’s phone when family called
- The coach claimed to have dropped Oscar near his home but is now jailed on unrelated sexual assault charges from February 2024
- Oscar’s body was discovered nearly 70 miles from his Lancaster home in a wooded area
- Authorities have not officially named the coach as a suspect in Oscar’s death, which remains under investigation
A Young Life Cut Short
The Hernandez family is searching for answers after 13-year-old Oscar Omar Hernandez was found dead in a ditch in Ventura County. Oscar, a seventh-grade student and standout soccer player at Sun Valley Magnet School, was reported missing on March 30 after failing to return to his Lancaster home. His body was discovered four days later in a wooded area off Harbor Boulevard in Oxnard – nearly 70 miles from where he lived. The cause of death remains unknown as investigators await findings from the Ventura County Coroner’s Office.
The Hernandez family, who immigrated from Honduras three years ago, is struggling to understand how their son’s body ended up so far from home. A small altar has been erected at the site where Oscar’s body was found, and community members have gathered for vigils to remember the young soccer enthusiast whose life was cut tragically short. For a family that came to America seeking a better life, this loss is particularly devastating.
The Coach’s Perplexing Role
At the center of the investigation is Oscar’s soccer coach, Mario Edgardo Garcia Aquino, 43, who was reportedly the last person seen with the boy. According to family members, when Oscar’s brother called his phone during his disappearance, it was Aquino who answered. The coach allegedly told Oscar’s father that he had dropped the boy off near their home, which prompted the family to contact police when Oscar failed to return.
“He was alive the last time he was here,” said Oscar’s sister, Alejandra Hernandez. “We had that person at our home. He even helped us look for Oscar. We never thought he would harm him.”
In a perplexing development, Aquino participated in search efforts for Oscar, joining the family as they frantically looked for the missing boy. This behavior has left the family further confused and suspicious about the coach’s potential involvement in Oscar’s disappearance and death. Police have indicated there is a person of interest in the case but have not released specific details or formally identified anyone.
Unrelated Charges Raise New Questions
While authorities have not officially named Aquino as a suspect in Oscar’s death, he has been arrested on an unrelated warrant stemming from a sexual assault case filed in February 2024. According to reports, Aquino now faces charges of assault with intent to commit another felony, related to an alleged attempted rape, sodomy, or oral copulation of a man. He is currently being held on $100,000 bail as investigators continue examining both cases.
The February sexual assault case was reportedly not initially pursued by police, raising questions about whether earlier action might have prevented Oscar’s tragic death. For the Hernandez family, who welcomed Aquino into their home and trusted him with their son, these new allegations have compounded their grief and suspicion. They continue to press for answers about what happened during Oscar’s final hours and how his body ended up so far from home.
Community Response and Ongoing Investigation
As the investigation continues, the community has rallied around the Hernandez family. Vigils have been held at both the school Oscar attended and the location where his body was found. Friends and classmates remember him as a talented soccer player with a bright future ahead of him. For a family that immigrated to the United States just three years ago in search of better opportunities, this loss represents not only the death of a child but the shattering of dreams.
Law enforcement officials from multiple jurisdictions are now coordinating efforts to determine exactly what happened to Oscar. As they await toxicology reports and further forensic evidence, the investigation remains active. The connection between Oscar’s death and his soccer coach continues to be scrutinized, with investigators carefully examining phone records, witness statements, and any potential physical evidence that might explain how the boy’s body ended up 70 miles from where he was last reportedly seen alive.
