And what does Laddie's biological family think about the charge? Despite not seeing him for ten years, they feel that the charge is a slap in the face to his birth mother. We caught up with them before they left for Dangriga to try and see Laddie's body and they told us that they feel disrespected. They also hope to meet with his adoptive family to iron things out. Courtney Menzies spoke with his uncle and has this story.
Though Laddie Gillett only spent the first couple years of his life in Belize City, the Memorial Park was lit up with candles after persons from all over the city came out to mourn him - some having never met him before.
The vigil was born out of outrage of the news that a cop fatally shot a 14-year-old in Placencia who was on his way home to beat the curfew. That outrage continued this morning when the police department announced that they had arrested and charged the cop for manslaughter - a bailable offense.
His biological family describe the charge as a slap in the face.
Henry "Pulu Musa" Gillett, Uncle
"We just get fih find out this morning they charge the police for manslaughter, I think that's a total disrespect and slap in the face, not only for my nephew and for my sister loss with her son. So this is trying to tell people the police can go around and shoot innocent people in this country, law abiding citizen of this country, at the end of the day, they will get charged for manslaughter. So he get charged for manslaughter this morning, he went to court, he will be offered bail, and he will be out."
"How the people in high society upstairs, not upstairs here at city hall, the ministers, how would they feel if they get a call saying the police murdered their kid sitting eating cake. Manslaughter, before 12 this afternoon the police will be home, what happened to my sister, what happened to the next family that was looking after the young boy?"
And while the family was frustrated by the charge, they were also upset at comments that Laddie's biological mother gave him up for $25,000 in return.
Henry "Pulu Musa" Gillett, Uncle
"You think my sister have $25,000, up to to today my sister not even have a bicycle? $25,000 is a lot for poor people. So I want to know what proof or where they're getting that from, my sister get $25,00 for her son."
"We aren't doing it for money. If the government want give $100 million to my sister and the people who raise the little boy, that can't bring him back, money can't buy life."
And speaking of Laddie's adoptive family, his biological uncle wasn't too happy about the implication that his sister never tried to see her son in Cayo. But he added that they would want to meet with the other family to talk things out.
Henry "Pulu Musa" Gillett, Uncle
"We don't want no fuss, no fight, no problem with anybody, we want reach out to the young man, Emil Bradley, you could reach me on 671-6973 and make we settle this, we heading down to Dangriga right now to the morgue to try and see our loved one that passed away."
Courtney Menzies:
"And do you expect to see them in Dangriga as well?"
Henry "Pulu Musa" Gillett, Uncle
"Well I would wish to get to meet the people in Dangriga make we come together and come to a closure and bury my nephew and make he rest in peace and make we stop this back and forth thing. And the thing that my sister skeptic right now, it bun we yesterday for this person to day that this boy is going to school in Belmopan, my sister explain, people have proof that she would go look for her son. Yes she was in a state when she did that but the agreement was that she would get to see her son. The people, look like they were trying to take him to America, that didn't work out, and even my sister say it, they would have brought him every summer, they would have seen him, and she would call and have contact with her son. This young man, Emil Bradley, we thankful for what he did for the little boy but my sister wants to know how he end up with the little boy."
But for now, the biological family is pushing for protest - and on social media, it seems one is already being organized for Saturday.
Henry "Pulu Musa" Gillett, Uncle
"We will support the protest, I'll be headline leading it, I will try to make the biggest placard or poster, and I will protest. Nobody will stop me from protesting. Because this is unfair. And back to what I said earlier, the police could pass here and see us interviewing and shot one of we."
"We want thanks everybody who are putting their support because the commissioner of police say it on the news, the young boy has no runnings with the law, he's not involved in illegal activity, and even the gentleman that raise him, we have to give him respect too. The young boy, Laddie, my nephew, didn't need to think about breaking into any place or try rob and steal, the young boy was comfortable and we thanks again, my family thanks from the bottom of our heart to Mr. Bradley."
The uncle is also hoping that the cops involved will also be charged for aggravated assault with a firearm after Laddie's friend stated on social media that the officers assaulted him.
A protest is being staged in front of the Raccoon Street Police Station at midday on Saturday.
