On Friday night we told you about the shocking number of child killings in the last three months: 6 minors dead by gunshot since June. Tonight it is 7 - after a 15 year old was killed this morning.
In this case, it appears to be the case of a child not in school - his mother told Cherisse Halsall that he just didn't want to go. Here's her story:
This is where 15-year-old Niccanor Fermin died, it's uninhabited area of Vista Del Mar, Ladyville which has seen bodies dumped there before.
And this morning, shortly before 10:30, police were called here to the intersection of Blue Marlin Drive and Angel Fish Avenue.
That's where they found the 15-year-old lying face-up on the ground, with gunshot injuries to his body.
Now these bloodstains are all that's of the boy who was either killed or discarded on this lonesome road. Hours later, his mother was still reeling.
Debbie Swaso, Mother of the deceased
"I feel bad, I feel shocked, I couldn't believe it was so quick, I'm just trying to stay strong."
Cherisse Halsall:
"Miss Debbie talk to me about Niccanor who was he and what kind of boy did he become as you raised him?"
Debbie Swaso, Mother of the deceased
"Well, he was a cool guy, he was just cool and I don't know. He just doesn't listen just stubborn. Just stubborn, he just doesn't listen."
Cherisse Halsall:
"And so did you kind of have an inkling that he might have ended up in trouble?"
Debbie Swaso, Mother of the deceased
"Yes, I knew it."
Cherisse Halsall:
"What were the signs that you saw?"
Debbie Swaso, Mother of the deceased
"Well, the way how he behaved just doesn't listen, just doesn't listen, hard stubborn go when he wants and comes when he wants, that's him."
Cherisse Halsall:
"Had he ever gotten in trouble with the police?"
Debbie Swaso, Mother of the deceased
"The last time they called me and told me they had him in the station just come and he said it was the state of emergency they wanted to lock him up and he didn't do anything, he said I didn't do anything, I don't want to go to any jail I love you mommy I don't want to go to any jail."
Initial investigations suggest that at around 9:45 a.m., a vehicle was seen on Blue Marlin Drive, and shortly after that, gunshots were heard in the area. Construction workers working a short distance away from the crime scene told 7News that they heard the sounds of 2 gunshots, and a short while afterward, the cops arrived.
And this afternoon Debbie Swaso gave me her version of events.
Cherisse Halsall:
"Tell me about today when you got the news where were you, how did you find out?"
Debbie Swaso, Mother of the deceased
"I was in Belmopan when his father's nephew called me, from BDF, he is a BDF. He called and asked for me, I said Hi Punch what's up long time I didn't hear from you. Long time. He said where is JR. I said why. He said they killed JR that's all, I was just calm."
Cherisse Halsall:
"Now, Niccanor was found in Ladyville, does that seem strange to you?"
Debbie Swaso, Mother of the deceased
"That is strange, that's strange, what is he doing there, somebody must have taken him there. Cause he, how would he get there, somebody must have taken him there. I have two other sons. One 34 and the other one is 26, 26 years old and he is the baby, 15."
Cherisse Halsall:
"15, fifteen, what were your hopes for this 15 year old boy?"
Debbie Swaso, Mother of the deceased
"I wanted him to finish school but he refused. He just didn't want to go to school."
In the last words of her interview, Swaso appealed to other Stubborn youth, the ones that still have a chance, urging them to listen to their parents.
