Haitian Honor Student Sephora Joseph Dies During School Reward Trip in Dominican Republic; Authorities Launch Investigation

An 11-year-old Haitian girl and honor student drowned during a school reward trip, prompting national outrage and a fast-tracked criminal investigation by Dominican authorities. Stephora Anne-Mircie Joseph, a pupil at Instituto Leonardo Da Vinci in Santiago de los Caballeros, was celebrating her straight-A grades when she drowned in an unsupervised pool at Hacienda Los Caballos in Gurabo on November 14. The excursion violated a nationwide 15-year-old ban on aquatic trips issued by the Dominican Ministry of Education.

According to her mother, Lovelie Joseph Raphael, Stephora had been vomiting and was expected to receive medical attention at a local hospital. Hours later, she was redirected to the National Institute of Forensic Sciences in Santo Domingo to retrieve her daughter’s body. The family has said that no security footage or preliminary autopsy was provided, and no explanation was given for the incident.

“Extreme negligence” by both the school and the venue is alleged in a complaint filed with the Attorney General’s Office by Joseph Raphael, accompanied by lawyers Mena & Salazar. The complaint cites violations of the Ministry of Education’s 2009 ban on aquatic excursions, as well as the absence of lifeguards, first-aid kits, and chaperones. “We want to see the video to know what happened,” Joseph Raphael said, highlighting frustration over the school’s two-week delay before issuing condolences on November 30.

The Regional Education Director confirmed that the school failed to comply with safety protocols, triggering an internal review. Following inspections, the Ministry of Public Works temporarily shut down Hacienda Los Caballos, citing major safety lapses, including missing rescue equipment.

The incident has sparked widespread outrage among parents, civil society groups, and human rights advocates, who criticize what they describe as a “wall of silence” surrounding the tragedy. Haitian organizations have expressed solidarity with Stephora’s family, linking the death to broader patterns of anti-Haitian discrimination in the Dominican Republic.

Two weeks after the drowning, Dominican Attorney General Francisco Reynoso ordered prosecutors and the National Directorate for Children, Adolescents, and Families to expedite a criminal investigation into the circumstances surrounding Stephora’s death.

As the investigation unfolds, Stephora’s family and supporters continue to demand accountability, transparency, and a full explanation of the events that led to the young honor student’s death.