Family receives $400,000 after death of children

The Supreme Court of Panama has ruled that a family in San Carlos will receive a payout of $400,000 after the death of their two children.

The children, a boy aged two and a 15-year-old girl of Indian nationality, were both shot multiple times at a checkpoint in San Carlos on October 23rd 2013. 

The police lieutenant who fired the shots was sentenced in January 2017 to 30 years in prison, on the charge of murder. 

According to a ruling of the Third Administrative Disputes Chamber of the Supreme Court by judges Abel Zamorano and Cecilio Cedalise, the State was sentenced to pay $200,000 for each victim.

In addition to the compensation, the director of the National Police (PN) Omar Pinzón, must offer public apologies to the Indian community in Panama and to the loved ones of both infants.

According to the courts the agents in charge of a checkpoint, in the entrance to San Carlos, violated protocol on the day of the events. In its investigations, the Public Ministry (MP) determined that the death of the two children was caused by gunfire from lieutenant Alexander Rosales.