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3mo ago

DNA Confirms Remains of Missing 10-Year-Old in San Diego Panga Tragedy

DNA confirmation of the child’s remains has prompted calls for capital charges against two accused smugglers.

The panga that washed ashore in Del Mar early on Monday
A Del Mar lifeguard gathers debris such as lifejackets and gas cans as they worked to secure the scene where a suspected smuggling panga overturned in the surf in Del Mar early Monday. Three people were confirmed dead and a number of people were unaccounted for. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Overview

  • DNA tests verified that remains found on Torrey Pines State Beach belonged to 10-year-old Mahi Brijeshkumar Patel, who vanished after the May 5 capsizing.
  • The panga boat overturned off Del Mar beach in heavy surf, killing Mahi’s 14-year-old brother, Prince Brijeshkumar Patel, and two Mexican nationals including Marcos Lozada-Juarez.
  • U.S. Coast Guard units suspended their search after scouring a 520-square-nautical-mile area, while eight survivors were later recovered at a Chula Vista safe house.
  • Five suspects have been indicted in San Diego federal court on smuggling charges linked to the ill-fated voyage from Popotla, Mexico.
  • Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem recommended that the Justice Department seek the death penalty for two of the accused, marking a sharp escalation in penalties for human smuggling.