And from that tragedy to what looks like a monstrous case of child abuse. Around two forty on Thursday afternoon, Belize City police made a very disturbing discovery. They found the skeletal remains of a one year old infant in an abandoned lot near Riverside Street in the St. Martin de Porres area. What was left of the body was stuffed in a white bucket and wrapped in a floral sheet.
Investigators have confirmed that the remains are those of one year old Jermaine Tesecum. At the time of the discovery his mother Theresa Watler was present. He was killed allegedly by his own father almost four years ago and then secretly buried. It is a monstrous act, made even more so by the concealment of the small body. Today the child’s parents thirty one year old Michael Tesecum and twenty eight year old Theresa Watler were taken over to Magistrate’s Court and charged with concealing the death of one year old Jermaine Tesecum. Police are now investigating further to see if the parents are also responsible for their own son’s death.
Watler told police that on August 17th of 2004 she was holding her son in her arms while arguing with her common law husband Michael Tesecum. Her story goes that they started to struggle and Tesecum allegedly snatched his son out of her arms and allegedly threw the little boy against a wall. The child suffered a severe head trauma and died as a result of the impact. Watler told police that Tesecum then prepared the crude burial for their son and that she was present at the time.
According to reports, Watler who has also been abused never reported it to police because she feared for her life. Following the parents appearance in court today a close family relative who did not wish to appear on camera spoke to our court report Anita Nembhard.
Family Member,
“I know he was a handsome little boy, he was playful and he was a very active little child. That is all I know about him.”
Anita Nembhard,
What have you heard now that they are saying this little boy died four years ago. What did you hear back then about what might have happened?
Family Member,
“I heard that he had diarrhea and he just died and I don’t know anything else.”
Anita Nembhard,
Did you all not question, like wasn’t there a burial? You didn’t question where was his body or what happened after they said that he died?
Family Member,
“No because they weren’t here. They went somewhere else so we don’t know what happened.”
Anita Nembhard,
Do you believe that they could have done something like that?
Family Member,
“No I couldn’t believe it.”
Anita Nembhard,
But don’t you question now since police have these allegations, don’t you question what may have happened?
Family Member,
“I am very worried about that but I think that is a sad situation because something like that should never happen to a child. A child is very sacred to us. For a parent to kill a child, it is unthinkable.
Actually she has like ten children but 5 of them are living with her. They are 12, 11, 8, and the baby would have been 6 or 7 and the other one is three and two.”
Anita Nembhard,
Do you know where they are right now, knowing that their mother and father will be going to jail tonight? You know where those kids are?
Family Member,
“I hear they are going to be with their grandmother but I know that their father has been abusive to her, very abusive. That I know ‘cause I am her sister in law and I actually saw that and he has been abusive to the children. So it is not really unthinkable but I know it is hard to believe.”
Theresa Watler and Michael Tesecum have been remanded to Hattieville Prison and are scheduled to reappear in Magistrate’s Court on July eight. Meanwhile 7NEWS understands that social services will now be investigating reports that the couple’s other children were also abused.
