La Derecha Diario Córdoba: relatives of man murdered by a minor ask the state to take action
This is the 15-year-old teenager who took part in the murder of Sebastián Villarreal. He has been detained several times and has reoffended
A new arrest of the teenager who participated in the murder of Sebastián Villarreal in Córdoba has caused outrage among his family members, who are asking the State to take action on the matter.
Since Villarreal's murder, which occurred in 2024 during the theft of a motorcycle, the 15-year-old offender has committed a series of crimes and always ends up being released.
This is a case that reignites the debate to lower the age of criminal responsibility.
This week, Córdoba Police reported that he was arrested after a police chase in the provincial capital, following an alleged robbery committed as a "motochorro."
He was carrying a replica firearm and 46,500 pesos.
Minor offender at large
Because of his age, he can't be transferred to the Esperanza Complex or be criminally charged.
He had already been arrested for driving a stolen car with fake license plates, participating in armed robberies, and assaulting a female police officer.
Sebastián's sister, Jimena Villarreal, strongly criticized the authorities and the National Secretariat for Children, Adolescents, and Family of Argentina.
She pointed out that there is "inefficient intervention by the various agencies" responsible for these matters.
"Meanwhile, Senaf and Minister (Liliana) Montero and Minister Quinteros are not doing their job as they should, Seba's children are still without their father. They can't in any way respond that they do not know where the young man is. They can't ignore that it is his mother, the same one who got him into crime, who 'takes care' of him today and gets him out of jail so he can keep committing crimes," she said.
"If something happens to us, I hold Governor Martín Llaryora responsible" she added.
The pain of Sebastián Villarreal's family
In a message on social media addressed to her brother's children, Jimena Villarreal made a heartfelt post on social media:
"They saw him die, they heard their father beg for his life so he could take care of them, and they held him in their arms in his last breath. None of this is fair, nor should it have happened. But it did," she wrote.
Lowering the age of criminal responsibility
In May, a key step was taken in Congress toward the reform of the Juvenile Criminal Regime.
In a joint meeting of the Committees on Criminal Legislation; Justice; Families, Children, and Youth; and Budget and Finance, the report on the bill proposing to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 16 to 14 years old was approved with 77 signatures. The initiative was promoted by Javier Milei's Government and represents one of the pillars of his security and justice agenda.
The proposal, which had caused intense debate in recent weeks, finally obtained the majority report thanks to the support of the La Libertad Avanza, PRO, Unión Cívica Radical (UCR), Federal Innovation, Civic Coalition, and a sector of Encuentro Federal blocs.
The bill establishes that minors up to 14 years old may only be held criminally responsible when they commit serious crimes, such as homicides, rapes, kidnappings, or armed robberies. The reform seeks to adapt the juvenile criminal regime to international standards and improve the approach to juvenile crime.
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