Mother of murdered Andrej: I want to see my son's killer
At the resumed trial of the parents of a juvenile killer from Niska Banja, Sanja Simic spoke about the court. The minor testifies on June 26 via video link.
- The trial of the parents of a juvenile killer from Niska Banja has resumed before the High Court in Nis.
- Sanja Simic, the mother of the murdered Andrej Simic, spoke of her disappointment with the court.
- The minor M. M., charged with the murder, will testify on June 26 via video link.
- The trial is closed to the public, and the parents are accused of failing to react to their son's violent behaviour.
The trial of the parents of the minor charged with the murder of thirteen-year-old Andrej Simic has resumed before the High Court in Nis. After the hearing, the murdered boy’s mother, Sanja Simic, spoke about how she sees the course of the proceedings. The trial is closed to the public.
Andrej Simic was killed on October 5, 2023, in Niska Banja. According to the indictment, his body bore 37 stab wounds. The minor M. M., who was 14 at the time of the crime, is charged with the murder. Two separate sets of proceedings are running in Nis at the same time, one against the minor and one against his parents.
What did the mother say after the hearing?
Sanja Simic made no secret of her disappointment with the way the case is being run. In her words, instead of the focus being on those who are charged, she feels she is the one at the centre of the proceedings.
I want to see my son’s killer and hear what he has to say.
The murdered boy’s mother said she expects to finally hear from the minor charged with her son’s death. According to the schedule of hearings, that moment is now close.
The minor M. M., who is now 16 years old, will be questioned on June 26, via video link, without being present in the courtroom. That form of testimony is provided for minors in proceedings of this kind.
What are the parents charged with?
Before the High Court in Nis, the minor’s parents are accused of failing to react to their son’s violent behaviour and of leaving weapons, that is knives, within reach in the home. The charges revolve around several points:
- that they did not respond adequately to earlier signs of the child’s violent behaviour
- that knives and other dangerous objects were not kept out of the minor’s reach
- that the supervision the situation required was not in place
The case against the parents is being run separately from the case against the minor himself. The public is excluded from the trial, which is standard when minors are involved, so the details of the parties’ submissions remain out of view of the media.
The next hearing and the questioning of the minor are set for the second half of June. By then, the defence and the prosecution are expected to present the remaining evidence.
What do you think, should cases against the parents of juvenile offenders be heard behind closed doors, or is it in the interest of victims for them to be open?
