Czech man arrested in Croatia after explosion kills his 9-year-old child

ZAGREB, Croatia — A Czech man was arrested in Croatia for allegedly allowing his 9-year-old child to take an explosive device from a military zone, which then killed the child, Croatian police said Friday.

The 46-year-old entered a restricted military training ground in central Croatia without permission on Wednesday, where he allowed his child to pick up the explosive device and return it to the family car, the statement said. a police statement.

When the car broke down en route, the child pulled out the explosive device which then exploded, killing the child and injuring three people, the statement added. It is not clear what type of device the child had found.

Police have not released the sex of the child, although some reports indicate it was a boy.

The father faces charges of “serious criminal acts against public safety” in relation to “endangering lives and property by a dangerous act or device,” police said.

Croatia, with its Adriatic Sea coastline, is a popular tourist destination teeming with visitors from the Czech Republic and other European countries during the summer season. The explosion occurred on Thursday in an area near the central coastal town of Zadar.