Camden, NJ, settles with families of 3 boys who died in car trunk as police looked elsewhere

Families settle with NJ city over car-trunk deaths

CAMDEN, N.J. — The families of three New Jersey boys who died in the trunk of a parked car as police searched for them have settled lawsuits against the city of Camden.

The families of 11-year-old Anibal Cruz, 6-year-old Daniel Agosto and 5-year-old Jesstin Pagan agreed to accept a total of $2.25 million.

Police scoured Camden after the boys vanished on June 22, 2005, but no one checked the trunk of the Toyota Camry parked in the Cruz family’s yard. One officer looked quickly in the main part of the car, then moved on. Officials believe it’s likely the boys were still alive at the time.

Toyota agreed last year to pay the family of each boy $100,000.

The city settlements were made last month. They were first reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Information from: The Philadelphia Inquirer, www.philly.com