A funeral parlor worker, who posed with the body of late football great Diego Maradona for a photo, turned himself to the police after massive outrage in Argentina. Diego Molina had gone underground after he and a father-son duo posed with Maradona's body ahead of his funeral on Thursday.
After going into hiding, rumors were abuzz that Molina was murdered, according to the Sun. However, he handed himself to the police, the report added. The controversial photos were taken before Maradona's body was transported to Argentina's presidential palace Casa Rosada.
Shortly after the photos went viral, Molina — who was dressed in a white shirt and black pants in the pictures — was identified on Twitter. In the photo, he was seen placing his one hand on Maradona's forehead and giving a thumbs-up sign with the other hand.
Molina was one of the workers who was tasked with preparing the football legend's body ahead of the private open-coffin wake. He was fired after the outrage. Diego Picon, the manager of the Sepelios Pinier funeral parlour in capital Buenos Aires said Molina and the father-son duo were "outsourced employees."
Meanwhile, another funeral worker Claudio Fernandez asked for forgiveness after he and his 18-year-old son Ismael also posed with Maradona's body. In an interview with an Argentinian radio station, Fernandez said that he considered Maradona as his "idol" and did not mean to disrespect him.
"We were getting ready to take Diego to the wake and my son, being a typical youngster, made the thumbs-up sign and had his photo taken. I ask for everyone's forgiveness. I've worked for Maradona's father and his brother-in-law," Fernandez said. "I've been close to Diego while he was alive. I would never have disrespected him while he was alive because he was my idol and it was not my intention after he died."
He said that he was aware that his and his son's actions "offended" people, but sought their forgiveness. "I know it upset them. I ask all of them to forgive us," he said.
Argentine officials have launched an investigation over possible "negligence" after claims that an ambulance took over an hour to reach following Maradona's heart attack that led to his death.
