It's hard to forget the story of Mara Noemi Garcia (See Raped and Killed in Hollywood) who was brutally murdered in Ladyville by two teenaged brothers just two weeks ago. She was the daughter of tacos vendor Gabriel Garcia who was shot at her stall for no apparent reason two years earlier but survived. Well now another violent act has been visited on this most unfortunate family. Two weeks after his sister was murdered, tonight 16-year-old Maslo Garcia is the victim of a brutal armed robbery in broad daylight near downtown Belize City. Keith Swift reports on why Garcia is lucky to be alive.
Keith Swift Reporting, Email - [keithkswift@gmail.com]
You are looking at the 6-inch knife which, up until an hour ago, was stuck in the back of 16-year-old Maslo Garcia. The teen had gone to James Garbutt School to pick up his primary school transcript so he could apply to high school. But on his way there, Maslo was attacked by a gang of four youths. Security guard Demetri Martinez was on duty nearby and heard the attack.
Demetri Martinez, Witness
"All I saw was the young boy running upstairs because it looked like he was stabbed and then police followed the other group of boys and only one they caught. It looked like he knocked one of the policemen in the eye and so the police beat him. It was only young guys though."
Keith Swift,
You said you heard an argument. Did you get what they were arguing about?
Demetri Martinez,
"It was just over $1.25 they had a problem. I am not really sure what the argument was about but I heard them shouting the $1.25. And by looking at them it looked like they were between 15 and 17 years old. They were all young boys."
Keith Swift,
So was this a case of 4 guys attacking the smaller guy?
Demetri Martinez,
"Yes, it looked that way to me."
And they stabbed him in his right side with this knife. Garcia was treated on the scene in an ambulance and then transported to the KHMH where the knife was eventually removed. The attending physician Dr. Emerson Munguia says Maslo received a superficial stab wound and he is lucky to be alive.
Dr. Emerson Munguia, Surgeon - KHMH
"He received a stab wound in the back area. At this moment he is stable and the wound is superficial. We removed a little knife from the back and the person is stable. He will be discharged and given antibiotics. The person is in good condition."
Keith Swift,
This was a knife to the back. How lucky is he to be alive?
Dr. Emerson Munguia,
"The wound is superficial. It was only introduced in the body about 7 centimeters inside in soft tissues. It was superficial."
As the doctor indicated, the wound was superficial and Maslo was due to be released from the KHMH this evening. And as mentioned the teenager was going to pick up a transcript so he could apply to high school. His family tells us that last Friday he was also robbed of the $15 high school application fee and his transcript and today he was going to pick up another transcript. Shortly after the stabbing, police detained one of the youths.
