A 2-year-old baby boy was electrocuted on Saturday morning in Dangriga town. Police responded to a call from the Wageralei area of Dangriga where they found that 2 year old Cory Roaches had been electrocuted around 8:30 on Saturday morning. Today we visited with neighbors and his mother who are in stunned disbelief, because they say negligence caused this child's life to be lost.
Alfonso Noble Reporting, [From Dangriga Town]
The patchwork of electrical cables on the ground at the home of 31 year old Patricia Rosa tell of a mishap waiting to happen and on Saturday morning it did.
Patricia Rosa, Victim's Mother
"She bought an orange for him and he asked her to peel it for him. And she was on the step peeling the orange and when she finished the baby was on the wire. They went to move him but he was already laid out."
"Someone called out that how the baby got shocked. I didn't really believe he was shocked and so I shook him and then the neighbor ran across here."
The unfortunate electrocution of 2 year old Cory Roaches was prefixed by the line breaking on Friday night and falling to the ground. An argument between Rosa and her common law husband did not allow for the line to be placed on the sticks that supported it above the ground.
Daniel Eligio, Neighbor
"The night the guy came in and saw the wire was down. He managed to try and fix it but he never did hook it up on the bars so he left it on the street."
Patricia Rosa, Victim's Mother
"Well I noticed that it is dangerous. I tried to pick it up on Friday but it was under a clothesline and so I tried to move it but I couldn't do any better…"
Daniel Eligio,
"I got up in the morning and I saw the kids moving around and playing around and I never expected that to happen."
Alfonso Noble,
They said the little boy bit the wire...
Daniel Eligio,
"Well that is exactly what I am hearing. I heard he bit the wire. I don't know how true it is but that is the news I got; the man bit the wire."
Alfonso Noble,
And where was the wire?
Daniel Eligio,
"Well I don't know if it was in the yard or on the street he bit the wire."
Alfonso Noble,
But it was on the ground?
Daniel Eligio,
"Exactly, it was on the ground."
Alfonso Noble,
You think this was caused by carelessness?
Daniel Eligio,
"Yes because if someone was there watching the kids at the same this happened then it wouldn't have happened. It's just carelessness. I am just sorry about it and if I was around at that time then maybe I could have helped as a neighbor."
But even as it was an unfortunate occurrence to have the toddler die by touching the electrical cables, for police investigators the incident is still worth looking into for two reasons: negligence and the possibility that electricity was being abstracted.
Sgt. Pablo Pinkney, Investigating Officer
"We're looking at how electricity was being accessed in the house which is through an extension from a neighbor. The Human Development Department will also be involved. We're looking at everything that is connected to this case."
But that can not bring back baby Cory who by all appearance did not have to die especially when the cause of his death could have been avoided.
2 year old Cory Roaches' mother has 5 other children 4 girls and a boy.