Father Charged With Manslaughter After 11-Year-Old Son Is Run Over by Boat: Police

A California father has been charged with manslaughter after he accidentally ran over his son with a boat, police said. 

Javier Burillo, 57, was out on the water on his boat with his two sons, ages 27 and 11, near Angel Island when the alleged incident happened. Burillo reportedly told authorities his boat hit a wave while sailing and his children flew off the 33-foot vessel. 

While Burillo was trying to rescue them, they were hit by the boat, police said. Once back on the boat, they were taken to a nearby yacht club where a medical team assisted them. 

The 11-year-old was pronounced dead at the yacht club due to the “traumatic injuries” he sustained in the incident, the Marin County Sheriff’s Office said. The 27-year-old suffered cuts to his legs but is expected to be OK.

Burillo later failed a breathalyzer test, police said. The father has been charged with vehicular manslaughter, willful harm or injury to a child, and reckless or negligent operation of a vessel. 

"He was operating the boat — he had that choice — and the negligent part of it is the alcohol," Tiburon Police Chief Michael Cronin said at a press conference. "It's very difficult. This gentleman is going through unimaginable pain. And we have no desire to contribute to that, but we need to enforce the law."

Burillo posted $1 million bail, according to reports. The case is still under investigation.

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