Police are investigating a house fire that occurred on Wednesday, October 9, in Ladyville Village. Officers responded to a report of a fire on Arizona Road around 7:30 a.m. and found a 25×25-foot elevated wooden structure with part of the veranda damaged. The tenant, 37-year-old Georgia McKenzie, said a neighbour alerted her to the fire at 7:15 a.m., but it had already been extinguished by the time she checked. Police say that the cause of the fire is still being investigated.
Year: 2024
Belize Remains Free of Screwworm
A series of awareness sessions is currently underway in Belmopan. Organised by the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) in collaboration with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), the International Regional Organisation for Plant and Animal Health (OIRSA), and the Ministry of Agriculture, these sessions aim to educate key stakeholders from the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health, and the Belize Livestock Association about the risks associated with the New World Screwworm.
Belize is free of the screwworm at this point, but with its presence in Honduras already, steps must be taken to prepare for the threat, particularly to the cattle industry.
The training, running through Friday, focusses on enhancing participants’ understanding of the impact and management of this highly detrimental pest, which is present in several Central and South American countries but not in Belize.
This initiative is part of ongoing efforts to ensure all key ministries and stakeholders are well-informed and equipped to manage potential risks associated with the New World Screwworm.
Belize on High Alert for New World Screwworm Following Outbreak in Honduras
13yo Raped by her Stepfather
Authorities have officially arrested and charged a 31-year-old man from Corozal District with three counts of unlawful sexual intercourse and three counts of sexual assault.
On Wednesday, August 30, 2024, a woman brought her 13-year-old daughter to the police station. They reported that between 2021 and 2023, the girl’s stepfather had inappropriately touched her and engaged in sexual activities with her multiple times. A medical examination confirmed that the minor had been sexually abused.
Milton Hits Florida, Causes Widespread Power Outages and Flooding
Hurricane Milton made landfall on Wednesday evening as a powerful Category 3 storm near Siesta Key, Florida, a barrier island about 70 miles south of Tampa Bay. With winds of 120 mph, Milton caused severe storm surges in Sarasota County, reaching up to 10 feet. By Thursday morning, the storm had weakened to a Category 1 as it moved across the state, but it still left widespread damage, power outages, and reports of deaths.
More than 3.2 million Floridians were left without power, and the National Weather Service issued tornado warnings across several cities in addition to hurricane and storm surge warnings. Earlier in the day, multiple tornadoes were reported, including a “multi-vortex” twister.
Initially a Category 5 storm with winds exceeding 180 mph, Milton’s strength diminished as it neared Florida’s Gulf Coast. Experts warned of severe flooding and damage, similar to what happened with Hurricane Katrina. Despite the weakening, storm surges and dangerous winds were still a major concern.
Milton continued its path across Florida before moving off the east coast, transitioning into a tropical storm as it entered the Atlantic.
George Oshon Found Safe
Police have confirmed that Hattieville Village resident George Oshon has been found safe. The 82-year-old was reported missing on Wednesday, October 9, 2024. He was last seen walking near J Mall on the George Price Highway, dressed in a long-sleeve camouflage jacket and long green trousers.
Murder in Belize City
Belize City police are investigating the murder of 35-year-old Floyd Hyde. Hyde was found lying motionless in a pool of blood with multiple stab wounds last night near Reggae Street.
His body was found by a family member. According to police, Hyde had left home around 7 p.m. to go to the store. About 15 minutes later, his common-law wife heard a commotion in the yard and called 911.
Police are investigating.
Orange Walk Father and Son Kidnapped in Chetumal
We start tonight’s newscast with a chilling report: a father and son from Corozal have been kidnapped. The details are still sketchy, but what we do know is that the incident occurred across the northern border in Chetumal, Quintana Roo. This area is popular with Belizeans, especially on weekends, for shopping, medical treatment, and entertainment. The two men are Louisville resident, forty-eight-year-old Luis Camara and his nineteen-year-old son, Johan. Mexican authorities are urgently seeking the public’s help to locate them and have circulated bulletins with their images, hoping someone has seen them or knows their whereabouts. Johan is described as having a dark complexion, short wavy black hair, and black eyes. He stands five feet five inches tall and weighs a little over two hundred and fifty pounds. He was last seen wearing a short-sleeved black shirt and black denim pants. Luis was wearing a short-sleeved light blue shirt, light blue jeans, and brown boots. Reports indicate that the two men were taken by a group of heavily armed men when Luis tried to defend Johan, who was under attack. The father and son were traveling in a vehicle when another vehicle suddenly pulled up in front of them, opened fire, and then attempted to take Johan away by force. Mexican police have provided a contact number for anyone with information on their whereabouts: (nine eight three) eight three five zero zero five zero ext. one one three two. News Five has tried to reach the family and Belize’s Ambassador to Mexico, Oscar Arnold, for comment, but has not yet succeeded.
High Court Hears Mitigation Plea for Ivan Ayuso
Twelve days ago, former Senior Accountant Ivan Ayuso admitted to embezzling over a million dollars of taxpayers’ monies from the National Sports Council. He pleaded guilty to one count of theft and three counts of money laundering. The High Court has already indicated that Ayuso will receive no more than five years in jail. However, his plea bargain with the D.P.P. means he cannot contest the government’s move to seize his house. Today, Ayuso’s family members gathered in the courtroom to support his mitigation plea. Justice Nigel Pilgrim heard from three character witnesses: Ayuso’s son, Adrian Ivan Ayuso; his younger brother, Niem Santos Ayuso; and Merna Ramona Haylock. Adrian gave an emotional account of his father, describing him as a wonderful, quiet, and strong person who stays out of trouble. He spoke about how hard the news of his father’s crimes has been on the family and apologized to the country of Belize on his father’s behalf, pleading for leniency. Niem also asked the court for leniency, expressing how much the family loves and needs Ayuso. Ayuso was supposed to be sentenced today, but the D.P.P. was not ready to make the forfeiture application, so the matter has been postponed to October twenty-fifth.
Farmer Sentenced to 16 Years for Raping Minor
A forty-three-year-old farmer is spending his first night of a sixteen-year sentence behind bars. Vicente Cerraras has been sentenced for two counts of rape of a fourteen-year-old minor, for which he was convicted back in July of this year. This morning, Vicente appeared before Justice Candace Nanton in the High Court, where she heard mitigation pleas from two character witnesses, including his mother and his pastor, Elario Davis. Cerraras’ last words to the court was one of remorse telling the court he is sorry for what he did, admitting to guilt. Cerreras who was facing a mandatory sentence of twelve years minimum for each count, was sentenced to two sixteen years term. However, Justice Nanton took into consideration his fifteen days on remand. She deducted those days leaving him with fifteen years, eleven months and fifteen days left behind bars. Justice Nanton ordered that his two sentences run concurrently with each other. As was reported, Justice Nanton found Cerreras guilty of the two counts of rape of a child on July twenty-second after DNA evidence linking him to the crime scene was submitted. Despite the DNA results presented by Prosecutor Romey Cunningham, Cerraras denied raping the minor. He raped the fourteen-year-old on June twenty-seventh, 2019 and again on August twenty-sixth, 2019.In the trial, Cerraras was represented by attorney Ronell Gonzalez.
Family of Three Charged with Drug Offences
A family of three was dragged to court late Tuesday on a drug charge after police found seventy-seven grams of marijuana inside their refrigerator on Myrtle Waight Crescent in Ladyville. They are forty-one-year-old Herbie Eddison Moreira, a tour guide, his common-law wife, thirty-nine-year-old Sherice Andrea Foreman, and sixty-six-year-old Bernadette Williamson. The trio appeared in the Magistrate’s Court in the presence of their attorney, Godwin Haylock, where they were read a charge each of possession of a control drug with intent to supply seventy-seven grams of cannabis to another person or persons for the purpose of drug trafficking. Haylock asked for a sentencing indication as Moreira was contemplating pleading guilty. The magistrate indicated that she would impose a non-custodial sentence of a fine of no more than two thousand dollars but only if he has no previous conviction or has special reasons why a fine is appropriate in his case. His attorney Haylock submitted that while this is not Moreira’s first drug charge, his conviction for possession of a control drugs with intent to supply from 2013 is on appeal. Haylock also asked the court to take into consideration the small quantity of drugs. Moreira pleaded guilty and was fined fourteen hundred dollars. Moreira was facing the mandatory minimum fine of ten thousand dollars in default three years plus an additional prison time of three years if he had not pleaded guilty but was found guilty.