No one is to blame, at least not criminally, for the death of BDF Recruit Rafael Pop who collapsed from heat stroke while on a summertime running drill.
That's the finding of a jury in a coroner's inquest, which concluded today at the Magistrate's court. Evidence introduced showed that Pop died of cardio-respiratory failure secondary to a heart attack brought on by a heat stroke, which was described as a "gray area in Belizean medicine."
But the bombshell in court today was that Pop was 25 and not 18. That's right Pop apparently lied on his BDF application and said he was 18. His true age was revealed when his birth paper was presented.
No one can prove age was a factor in the death but in his ruling, Chief Magistrate Herbert Lord pointed out that the BDF thought they were training an 18 year old not a 25 year old. He also noted that Pop did not complain at any point during the rigorous training.
And for perspective the BDF only accepts recruits ages 18 through 23 so if Pop had applied using his real age he would have been rejected. Perhaps perversely, this misrepresentation of his true age is being described as contributory negligence on pop's part.
Of course, no account was given of the fact that two other recruits who did not lie about their age also collapsed. And no attention was paid to reports that the BDF hospital did not have the resources to treat pop for heat exhaustion.
Pop has three brothers who are also in the BDF.