And now to crime news - It was a bloody weekend in Belize, the kind that hasn't been seen for some time. Four persons were killed, and two died in fatal traffic incidents. In regards to the murders, not even children were safe from the violence.
We begin with the first of two minors to get killed last night - 15-year-old Nigel Ferguson. Ferguson spent most of his Sunday at home, and only four and a half hours after he left, his body was found with stab wounds.
And today, his mother told us that she always feared her son would die at the hands of violence. Courtney Menzies spoke with her and has this story.
15-year-old Nigel Ferguson left his Handyside Street home yesterday evening and wasn't seen again until his body was found around 10 that night in an abandoned lot. The teenager was stabbed multiple times and dumped in some bushes at Hunter's Lane.
And according to his mother, Ferguson kept to himself, so she had no idea the kind of trouble he might have been in.
Janet Lopez, Mother of Deceased
"He left from me like around 5:30 because he was at home all day."
Courtney Menzies:
"And he didn't tell you where he was going?"
Janet Lopez, Mother of Deceased
"Nope. I know he likes to sit around in our yard, or at the alleyway he stands up for a little bit, or sometimes he would go by Majestic Alley, but I didn't know he went elsewhere."
"I still didn't believe, even though you know you cry when you hear it, I still didn't believe that he died, because he just left us. In that hours of time that passed, it's like, can't."
Courtney Menzies:
"And did he ever say he was in trouble?"
Janet Lopez, Mother of Deceased
"He doesn't like to talk. So if he's in trouble, he doesn't tell us anything. Because he doesn't like to talk."
And Lopez has been worrying about her son ever since he decided to stop going to school, since she said he began to spend his time on the streets.
Janet Lopez, Mother of Deceased
"He stopped Stella Maris, because he wasn't going to Stella Maris but I don't know why he chose that path, but he wasn't going to school at the moment."
Courtney Menzies:
"Were you in fear at all that he was hanging out with the wrong crowd?"
Janet Lopez, Mother of Deceased
"Fear wasn't the word. I know him as a quiet child, humble, friendly, mannerly, helpful too because he likes to help people if they are doing stuff, he would help them. But… when he's at home he's for me, but when he's out there on the street I don't know what he does so I won't swear for him because I know my son isn't a saint because he does get himself in problems but the way how he died, he didn't deserve it."
Courtney Menzies:
"Do you feel like maybe he was ambushed or something like that?"
Janet Lopez, Mother of Deceased
"Yup."
Courtney Menzies:
"And you're saying he also carried a knife on him?"
Janet Lopez, Mother of Deceased
"Yes ma'am."
Courtney Menzies:
"He did that for his safety?"
Janet Lopez, Mother of Deceased
"Yes ma'am."
Courtney Menzies:
"So he feared that something might happen to him."
Janet Lopez, Mother of Deceased
"Yes ma'am."
And while the police say that at this time they don't believe it's gang-related, they still haven't named any suspects as yet.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"At this time, we're still trying to figure out what happened. We know that there may have been a fight earlier in the area between him and some other persons who are yet to be identified and we're hoping that we will be able to get more information to ascertain what transpired in this particular instance."
Reporter:
"Is there an element of gang involvement at play?"
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"At this time, no, we cannot say that there's an element of gang involvement."
Reporter:
"Are the suspects being sought in the Ferguson murder minors as well, are you able to say?"
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"At this time no."
Reporter:
"Are they from the area?"
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"We believe they are persons from the area, yes."
But for now, the teenager's family still can't come to terms with his murder.
Janet Lopez, Mother of Deceased
"All of us are taking it hard but at the end of the day, we have to hold the faith, but we still don't believe."
