French national sentenced for fatal fumigation incident in Piantini

Santo Domingo.- Judge Milagros Ramírez of the Ninth Criminal Court of the National District sentenced French national Georges Antoine Thevenet to one year in prison for the deaths of Adelle Marie Ruiz León and her two-month-old daughter. The case stemmed from the negligent fumigation of an apartment in Piantini, which also caused serious health complications for Ruiz León’s husband and one-year-old son.

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Thevenet was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and violations of multiple environmental and pesticide regulations. Prosecutors had sought the maximum three-year sentence under environmental laws. While the Public Prosecutor’s Office accepted the ruling, they will decide whether to appeal after the full decision is read on April 2.

The incident occurred on January 19, 2024, when Thevenet, who lacked professional fumigation credentials, applied a highly toxic pesticide, aluminum phosphide in an apartment, without notifying residents. The chemical released phosphine gas, leading to fatal poisoning. Autopsies confirmed the victims died from acute phosphine inhalation, which caused respiratory failure.