Our family is seeking justice for Mario Frutos, who was only 26 years old when he lost his life on September 16, 2025, after being run over by an EDCO garbage truck in Escondido.

We have been denied the police report, denied answers, and given almost no information. We were told the driver thought Mario was “trash,” and now we have to prepare ourselves to eventually view the truck’s camera footage just to understand what really happened.

When Mario died, my husband wasn’t allowed to see his brother. We had to rush a funeral just to confirm it was him, and even then we couldn’t see his face. No family should go through this.

We hired an attorney, but he only handles settlements, not criminal cases. We now desperately need a criminal attorney to help us access the police report, review the footage, and fight for justice — but we truly don’t know how much it will cost. Anything helps. On top of all this we have our 2 little kids and this situation has taken over our lives emotionally, mentally and financially. We have lost jobs trying deal with everything. My husband is slowly getting back on his feet. He’s out looking for work. Applying to jobs but we have not yet had any luck.

I also want to share a little about Mario , because he was so much more than the tragedy of his death.

Mario struggled with homelessness and schizophrenia, but he was loved. My husband tried everything to help him — food, clothes, water, support — and a week and a half before he died, we received a denial for their father’s humanitarian parole. A week and a half later, Mario was gone.

We are also trying to reach news stations, reporters, and anyone who can help us get answers. If you know someone in the media, please message us.

Thank you for reading and for helping us fight for Mario.

Justice for Mario Frutos