A 13-year-old boy from Los Angeles was found dead on Friday, April 4. Reported missing by his family on March 30, the boy, Oscar Omar Hernandez, had not returned home that day. The family reported that the boy was last seen with his soccer coach, 43-year-old Mario Edgardo Garcia Aquino, when he took a train to Lancaster to meet him. Earlier this week, a body was discovered in a ditch in Oxnard, and the Ventura County medical examiner can now confirm the body belongs to that of the young Oscar.
13-Year-Old California Boy Missing Since March 30
Oscar was initially reported missing on March 30. The family contacted the police when the 13-year-old did not return home from a meeting with an acquaintance. The Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Division took over the investigation as lead on April 1.
According to a statement from the Los Angeles Police Department, as reported by People magazine, “During the course of their investigation, RHD detectives developed information that led them to an area of interest in the City of Oxnard. In collaboration with our partners at the FBI, a coordinated foot search of that area took place. During the search, a body matching the description of the missing teen was discovered.”
According to reports, Oscar’s brother, Jose, attempted to call his younger brother, but it was Garcia Aquino who picked up the phone and claimed Oscar was not available. When his parents contacted Garcia Aquino, the coach said that he had dropped the California boy off near his home, though he told the family that he could not recall where.
Allegedly, the coach had offered Oscar Hernandez jerseys and the opportunity for sponsorships if he came to see him. He was expected to stay the night and return home the next morning. They did not hear from Oscar Hernandez again until 6 PM Saturday. According to his older sister, via CBS News, Alejandra Hernandez, they received a text that evening.
“Supposedly from him, saying he was going to a party after or something, like a little festival or gathering kind of, and they told him, ‘No, you don’t have permission to do that. Come back here. We’ll pick you up at Whitsett Park or something around the area,’ and then after he said, ‘I’ll be in the North Hollywood area.’ That was the last thing they heard from him, those messages basically.”
After still not hearing from Oscar, the family reported him missing on Sunday. With the investigation leading officers to Oxnard, a body was discovered Wednesday, April 2, 2025, that appeared to match the description of the missing California boy. By April 4, the medical examiner had confirmed the family’s fears: the body was Oscar’s. The family has started a GoFundMe to help pay for expenses.
Soccer Coach Charged, But Not For 13-Year-Old’s Death
Despite being the last person to see the teen alive, Garcia Aquino has not been arrested or charged concerning Oscar’s death. The man was, however, arrested and booked for a separate case. An arrest warrant was issued for him on Wednesday for an unrelated sexual assault allegation. The alleged incident took place in 2024.
Garcia Aquino was due in court on Friday but did not appear, and he is expected in court again on Monday. According to police reports, he is charged with one count of assault with intent to commit another felony. The felony is allegedly an attempted rape, sodomy or oral copulation of a man, according to the prosecutors office. Despite initially investigating in 2024, prosecutors declined to file charges until April 2, 2025.
The District Attorney’s office has yet to comment on either case, given the nature of the ongoing investigation. No charges have been filed in the death of 13-year-old Oscar. It is unclear if and when those charges will be brought. As additional information is released, the story will be updated.
