Soccer Coach Arrested After 13-Year-Old Found Dead in Ventura County

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — A soccer coach has been arrested on an unrelated charge shortly after the body of a 13-year-old boy, Oscar Omar Hernandez, was discovered in a Ventura County ditch. The coach is allegedly a person of interest in the case.

Oscar Hernandez was reported missing by his family on March 30 after he failed to return home from a visit to his coach’s residence in the Antelope Valley. His body was found in a wooded area off a Ventura County road, nearly 70 miles from his home, prompting a comprehensive investigation.

The coach, identified as Mario Edgardo Garcia Aquino, 43, was arrested on Wednesday for an unrelated sexual assault charge dating back to 2024, according to law enforcement sources. Oscar’s mother, Gladys Maribel Bautista, stated that the last interaction she had with her son occurred through a video call on the day he went missing. Bautista recounted how Oscar had taken a Metro ride to his coach’s home to assist with a side job, where they planned to paint jerseys for the soccer team.

“He was excited because he was going to help and get paid well,” Bautista said. When she later attempted to reach Oscar, the coach answered the call, claiming Oscar was unable to speak due to having paint on his hands, she recalled.

Days after Oscar’s disappearance, police discovered his body, leaving the family in despair. “We are desperate for answers,” Bautista expressed. “My son might have given his life for others to be exposed.” Oscar was a seventh grader at Sun Valley Magnet School and had recently moved to the U.S. from Honduras.

In the initial investigation, the Los Angeles Police Department, with assistance from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI, is actively following leads. The sheriff’s office has not released any details regarding the circumstances surrounding Oscar’s death, including the cause.

Bautista described her son as a joyous child who loved soccer and was looking forward to receiving his visa to visit family in Honduras. “He was just trying to have his own money and accomplish his goals in life,” one of Oscar’s friends said at a vigil held in his memory.

The arrested coach is scheduled for a court hearing on April 7 in downtown Los Angeles. While police confirm he is being questioned regarding Oscar’s death, his current charge is unrelated, and investigators have declined to provide further information regarding the ongoing case.

The Hernandez family intends to hold Oscar’s funeral in Honduras, where they will honor his memory as the investigation continues and they seek justice for the loss of their son.