Son’s Death
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By Nancy Aziz

Story Published: Sep 19, 2012 at 12:43 AM PDT

Story Updated: Sep 19, 2012 at 12:43 AM PDT

CORONADO – Dina Shacknai pleaded with the Coronado City Council Tuesday asking them to pressure the police department to reopen the investigation into her 6-year-old son’s death. Coronado Police have ruled Max Shacknai’s death in July of 2011 an accident. They believe he tumbled two stories after tripping while running.

But Shacknai says the results of a privately funded investigation shows there are problems with the police account. She says the new investigation found Max’s multiple injuries to be the result of an assault that ended in homicide.

Max was in the care of his father’s girlfriend, Rebecca Zahau, who was found naked and hanging from a balcony two days after Max was injured. Police say Zahau killed herself because she was despondent over the boy’s condition.

Neither Coronado Police, the Mayor or the City Spokesperson would comment after Shacknai made her plea to the council to reopen the investigation. They referred SanDiego6 to a week old news release put out by the City Manager’s Office that says Shacknai’s documents have been reviewed and that they did not provide any new evidence. It goes on to say that “there is no reason to change the manner of death in the case.”

Shacknai remains undeterred. She says she may go to the Attorney General next. Meantime she has started a non-profit called Maxie’s House, named after her son, that will help protect the children of divorced parents.