A father is left searching for answers after his 6-year-old autistic son, Gabriel Orellano, wandered away from the Stella Maris School and was later found in the sea about a mile from campus in Belize City.
Gabriel’s father, Vidal Orellano, told News Five that he was on his way to go out in the sea for work, since he’s a fisherman, when he was notified that his son had had an accident. However, he said he never expected what he learnt.
“I dah fisherman, I was at the port dih wait to go to sea, and my brother was the one that came to me and told me something happened to my son and we have to go now,” Vidal said, adding that he expected a broken bone injury at the worst, but never the news that his son had drowned.
Vidal described his son Garbiel as playful and happy, “no matter what nobody said about him, that he gave too much trouble or don’t sit down, it never mattered. I carried him with me… He never stayed nowhere without me.”
“The only thing I say in my head is why nobody grab ah? they see a lee baby dih walk by himself but they know he’s from Stella Maris, why nobody grab ah?” He said. “I would have rathered the police have my baby than weh part he deh right now.I would have appreciated if they grabbed him. No matter if I mih find him dih cry and police have ah, but at least I mi wah have ah in my hands still.”
Young Gabriel was found dead after wandering off the Stella Maris School compound on Monday morning. His body was discovered floating a mile away along the seaside.
Orellano had been attending the only school in the country for children with special needs, and his parents are now questioning how he was able to leave the secure school grounds unnoticed.
He mentioned that the school has stayed quiet while the investigation is ongoing, but he is scheduled to meet with them on Wednesday for an update.
The drowning death of 6-year-old Gabriel Pablo Orellano on Monday near the Belize City municipal airstrip has sent shockwaves through the community. Christy Almeida, the Executive Chair and Co-Founder of Autism Belize, revealed that statistics show that 71% of children with autism die due to elopement and drowning.
With yesterday’s tragic incident, she says this has been a wake-up call for the Belizean community to protect vulnerable children like Gabriel.
Almeida explained that ‘elopement’ is a term often associated with children with autism, which refers to their tendency to wander off or run away, frequently without an awareness of danger. “They are not the kids that we can just easily teach to look at both sides of the road before they cross the street or to walk on the sidewalk or to understand this,” she said.
She said this is a reality that parents of children with autism face daily and added that these children are not misbehaving; they simply do not have the same understanding of risk that others do.
Almeida called for a stronger community approach to protect these children, stating that this incident is the reason and importance of having a “village” to support them. “We have to go back to ‘it takes a village.’ We need to create a community that will knock their chest and say, I will become his village, so no other parent has to go through what that family is going through today.”
In response to the incident, the Ministry of Education issued a statement, announcing that an investigation is underway. The police department, in collaboration with the ministry and the school, is working to gather all the details.
Under her capacity as the Ministry of Education’s Special Education Coordinator, Almeida stated she could not comment further on the investigation until it is complete and official updates are available.
A fire broke out earlier today in the Neals Penn Road area of Belize City. At the scene, we observed a fire truck, some firefighters, and scenes of crime officials. The house was completely destroyed.
The fire broke out while some 8 Belize City firefighters staged a sick-out today. As we reported, this follows a go-slow demonstration that began Friday over work schedule changes, salary concerns, and poor working conditions.
On Monday, Public Service Union (PSU) President Dean Flowers, along with firefighters, met with government officials to discuss their grievances. Flowers highlighted issues beyond overtime pay, including disparities in hazard and danger allowances. Minister of Disaster Risk Management Andre Perez defended the shift changes, citing budget constraints but assured that overtime would still be paid. Regarding corruption allegations in the department, Perez stated that an investigation requires concrete evidence.
Residents of the area believe that the cause of the fire was electrical. “We need electricity. We need those things back here to survive. So, that is what causes the fire, electrical,” a neighbour told News Five.
She added that the area is not officially established, meaning residents cannot apply for basic utilities like electricity. “I have a son who’s paralysed. I have to look after my son. He needs the electric house because he cannot feel the heat alone. He needs the fans; he needs the AC to survive, to live,” she said.
The woman who lost her house had worked tirelessly to build it from scratch while raising her children. She was at work when she received the heartbreaking call that her home had been destroyed.
Yesterday’s tragic incident involving the drowning of young Gabriel Orellano, an autistic student from Stella Maris School in Belize City, has raised serious concerns about the school’s security measures.
According to Gabriel’s father, Vidal Orellano, he said his 6-year-old son was mute.
Reports are that Gabriel managed to leave the school compound unnoticed on Monday afternoon. He wandered towards the seaside, where he tragically drowned.
Vidal said he didn’t learn of his son’s disappearance until later, and when he approached the school for answers, he was met with silence. “All of them, they shut up and stay quiet,” he stated.
He said teachers told him that his son was by the hangar area but gave no additional information. “When I went there and when I saw my little boy lying down there, passed away,” he said.
“They failed my son because if it was lunchtime, they should have a shift,” he said.
Vidal questioned what happened since the gate is usually closed, and the students are not allowed to leave the campus. He said, “Why was the gate open? Where was the security guard?” he asked.
“The school is keeping quiet,” he said, adding, “I entrusted them with my baby. And that’s my only son… it was only me and him.”
Reports indicate that Gabriel’s body was found less than 30 minutes after a police officer saw him alone on Wilson Street and reported it to 911. However, authorities failed to respond in time.
El Salvador has agreed to house violent criminals from the United States and accept deportees of any nationality, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Monday. The unprecedented deal, which has sparked legal and human rights concerns, was revealed following Rubio’s meeting with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele as part of a regional tour to strengthen support for the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
According to the agreement, El Salvador will continue accepting deported Salvadoran nationals but will also receive non-Salvadoran criminals, including members of notorious gangs such as MS-13 and Tren de Aragua. Additionally, Bukele has offered to house dangerous American criminals, including U.S. citizens and legal residents, in Salvadoran prisons for a fee.
The legal feasibility of this agreement remains uncertain. U.S. law prohibits the deportation of its own citizens, raising concerns about constitutional violations. Immigration law expert Leti Volpp of UC Berkeley noted that any effort to send incarcerated American citizens abroad would face significant legal challenges.
Bukele later confirmed the agreement on X, stating that his government is willing to accept only convicted criminals, including U.S. citizens, at the country’s largest prison.
The facility, designed to hold up to 40,000 inmates, has been central to Bukele’s aggressive crackdown on gang violence. While his security policies have dramatically lowered crime rates, they have also drawn condemnation from human rights organisations, which describe the prison conditions as inhumane.
The U.S. State Department has warned about harsh conditions in El Salvador’s prisons, highlighting severe overcrowding, lack of sanitation, and inadequate access to legal representation. Critics argue that transferring detainees to such facilities raises serious ethical and legal concerns.
Some eight firefighters in Belize City have called in sick. It is believed that this is a sick-out in response to their frustration with the top management of the Belize National Fire Service.
As we have been reporting, firefighters launched a go-slow protest, voicing frustration over changes to their work schedules, salary concerns, and poor working conditions. The demonstration, which began on Friday, follows recent corruption allegations involving top officials in the Fire Department.
On Monday, a group of firefighters led by Dean Flowers, President of the Public Service Union (PSU), met with Kennedy Carillo, Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Disaster Risk Management, and Public Service CEO, Rolando Zetina, in Belmopan.
According to Flowers, the issues extend beyond overtime pay—firefighters feel underpaid, undervalued, and unfairly denied various allowances. He highlighted discrepancies in the distribution of hazard and danger allowances, noting that while some firefighters receive these benefits, others do not. The PSU intends to take the matter up with the Ministry of Public Service.
Minister of Disaster Risk Management Andre Perez responded to the concerns, explaining that the shift adjustments were necessary due to budget constraints as the fiscal year draws to a close. However, he assured that firefighters who work overtime will still be compensated. Addressing allegations of corruption at the department’s leadership level, Perez stated that while complaints have been noted, concrete evidence is needed before an official investigation can proceed.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that several firefighters staged a sick-out today, leaving only the officers in charge to man Belize City’s northside and southside fire stations.
On Monday, Flowers told News Five, “As it relates to industrial actions, the officers are currently contemplating their next step. We will be providing guidance for them where that is concerned. We recognise that they are an essential service. And so we’ll be following the regulations in ensuring that if there’s a need for us to step things up, we follow the law and that we give the government due notice as far as the 21 days notice is concerned. But that’s the direction. We will keep our feet on the pedal.”
In a statement, the CWU voiced frustration over the lack of transparency from the SSB Board. It stated, “SSB has yet to put out a credible narrative to explain why barely five months into his three-year contract, the CEO departed under dubious circumstances.”
The union said, “History will record that initially SSB did not follow proper procedure when it linked hiring a CEO and a Deputy CEO. When the issue was raised, it was met with certain defiance from the Board, which stated that the legislation allows. The legislation, however, refers to an assistant CEO.”
The CWU added, “The absence of a clear and credible response from SSB’s Board causes more speculation and unease.”
Gabriel Pablo Orellano drowned on Monday at the hangar area near the Belize City municipal airstrip. The six-year-old student of Stella Maris School reportedly snuck and found himself near the hangar area.
Authorities are searching for answers after the tragic drowning of six-year-old Gabriel Pablo Orellano, a student at Stella Maris School. How did he leave the school unnoticed? How did he make his way to the hangar near the Belize City municipal airstrip? And what happened in the moments before he entered the water?
Reports to News Five are that the child left the compound during lunchtime. We are also told that Belize City residents saw the boy walking through traffic on Freetown Road and reported it to his parents. The parents went to school to enquire about their son’s location. They were informed of his location after the boy had drowned. The family believes that the child was finding his way home in the Lake Independence Area.
Gabriel’s body was discovered after he failed to resurface. In response, Stella Maris School cancelled classes for the remainder of the day.
Yesterday afternoon, the Ministry of Education issued a statement expressing deep sorrow over the loss, pledging to support Gabriel’s family. However, many questions remain. The Ministry, alongside the Belize Police Department, is investigating the circumstances surrounding his disappearance and tragic death.
Minister of Education Francis Fonseca has expressed heartbreak over Gabriel’s death. In a statement, Fonseca described the loss as devastating and stressed the urgent need to protect the country’s most vulnerable children, particularly those with special needs. “A full and comprehensive investigation into this sad incident is being undertaken in collaboration with the Belize Police Department and the School. As a Ministry of Education and as a society we have no greater responsibility than to protect our most vulnerable people especially our children with special needs. The Ministry of Education is providing every support needed to the family and we ask all Belizeans to keep them and little Pablo in their thoughts and prayers.”
Thirty-nine-year-old Brandon Baptist, a man who had turned his life around and dedicated himself to God, was tragically shot dead on Friday night. The incident occurred just after nine pm at the Marion Jones Stadium during a football match. As chaos erupted and spectators dashed for cover, News Five captured the scene as police moved in to control the situation. The shooter, or shooters, unleashed a volley of bullets, fatally wounding Baptist. He fell to the ground beneath the bleachers, where his loved ones gathered in shock and disbelief around his lifeless body. Three others were also shot but survived. News Five’s Marion Ali has the report.
Denise Flowers
Denise Flowers, Mother of Deceased
“Dehn gone da da game fi problem because dehn gone dehn shoot up afta all my son dem too, you understand, like dehn da macho man, like dehn da God. Who is they fi tek life?”
Marion Ali, Reporting
A grieving mother’s sorrow echoes through the community. Denise Flowers, heartbroken over the murder of her son, Brandon Baptist, shares that he had made peace with those she believes are behind his tragic death.
Denise Flowers
“Yoh know weh hurt me, my son mek peace wid the same bally dehn and dehn same bally dehn still kill my pikni.”
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“On Friday night, police had received information of shots fired at the Marion Jones Sporting Complex. Based on the information received, the police responded. Upon arrival, they encountered a lifeless body of a male person, identified as Brandon Baptist.”
Commissioner of Police Chester Williams told reporters today that Baptist went to the game after he learned of a dispute among others.
Chester Williams
“The initial information the police have received is that Baptist who was not at the game earlier at inception was called to the field or to the stadium following some altercations someone may have had with members of the P.I.V. gang. Upon arrival, he was there hanging out with other members of the B.L.C. They were at the lower end of the bleacher and the P.I.V were at the upper end in the same line of bleachers. Brandon got up and he went to where the P.I.V group were, and some altercation happened. During the altercation, some are alleging that Brandon may have taken out a gun and when he did that, the others from P.I.V shot him. After having shot him, he continued to struggle with them and he was eventually thrown over the railing of the bleachers, where his body was later found.”
In the aftermath of the tragic killing, Williams acted swiftly on Saturday, implementing strategies to prevent any retaliatory violence. He mentioned that mediations have been paused to let tensions cool down and allow the community to regain some sense of calm.
Brandon Baptist
Chester Williams
“I went to Belize City on Saturday, myself and Mr. Grinage. We met with the senior command in Eastern Division, Mr. Romero and his team, strategizing to ensure that we put things in place to avert any possible retaliation. And so you’ll see that there is increased police operations in the St. Martins de Porres area and that operation is going to continue for a very lengthy period of time, because we want to make sure that we have things in place to prevent retaliation, even up to the funeral and after the funeral. I have also advised the mediation team, Brother Nuri and Brother Footie, that we’re not going to engage in the new mediation at this time because we don’t want to bring a group together. Tensions are extremely high and that might result in further escalation of issues. So we will put aside mediation for now and allow the police to work.”
Brandon Baptist’s family is clear on one thing: they don’t want revenge. His mother shared their stance, but she couldn’t hide her anger towards those responsible for taking his life.
Denise Flowers
“My son turn to God and unu hate to see that. Unu people out deh weh kill my son. Unu da devil. Unu da evil people. Unu nuh have God eena unu. But one thing that I thank God fa, that my son mi turn to God. We nuh wa vengeance nothing. We left vengeance to God, right, because eena this life ya, everybody have dehn day. We nuh come ya fi turn rockstone. All ah we come ya fi dead and whosoever kill my son, I wish the best to dehn and I left dehn to God because there is a God.”
The other victims, thirty-seven-year-old John Grinage, twenty-six-year-old Herson Mena, and twenty-one-year-old Cameron Williams, were quickly rushed to the K.H.M.H for medical care. Grinage and Mena are still in the hospital, while Williams was treated and has since been released. Marion Ali for News Five.
As Brandon Baptist’s mom shared, her son had made peace with his killers and dedicated his life to God. But who was Brandon Baptist? In his earlier years, he was no stranger to the law and the courts. Back in November 2012, he was charged alongside Tyrone Meighan and the now-deceased Orel Leslie for the murder of James Noralez. In 2016, he faced charges for the murder of Stann Creek resident Mariano Castillo but was later acquitted. Then, in August 2019, he was charged with eighteen others for the home invasion of Sarkis Abou-Nehra in Burrell Boom. Despite his troubled past, Baptist had been trying to turn his life around in recent years, as his mother mentioned.
Brandon Baptist
Brandon Baptist, Deceased (File: August 28, 2024)
“I deh pahn the street for quite some while, I get caught up in the jail a lot of times. I was with the police. I always deh pahn news. Everybody knows me, Brandon Baptist, right?
Marion Ali, Reporting
Brandon Baptist was a man almost everyone knew, not just for his past run-ins with the law, but also for his positive contributions to the community after turning his life around. He became an integral part of the Leadership Intervention Unit, helping to make significant strides in the community. In an interview with us last August, focused on gang life, Baptist candidly shared that while temptations were real, his efforts to change were genuine and heartfelt.
Baptist
“Every time I try to do something positive, I fall back. But I still fight it, I still do it. So I decided to like, get together wid my brethren and see if I could try to do something positive back home, back in the Martins with the re youth dehn because you know win uh want the lee youth dehn start stray and then dehn up eena da gang world or da violent world.”
Dominique Norales
Dominique Norales, Director, Leadership Intervention Unit
“When I first started, it was six months in that I realized that Brandon was thirty-eight, thirty-nine. I didn’t even know he was that age. I thought he was younger. So he was always full of life. Always willing to talk, always, even when he mis-stepped and we have to suspend or we have to give an extended suspension or fire some people from the team that he supervised, always willing to compromise and always comes with solutions. Brandon and I considered him to be not only an employee of the socioeconomic programs that L.I.U has, I considered him to be a friend.”
Dominique Norales is the Director of the Leadership Intervention Unit, an organization through which he had endeavored to make a positive difference in the lives of the youths with whom he interacted. She spoke with him a few days before he was killed.
Dominique Norales
“I saw Brandon last week Sunday as I was leaving from my mom’s and grandmother’s house. And I said, “Bwai you dress up. Weh yoh di come from?” He said “I di come from church.” I said, “okay, well, we’re trying to arrange to go together sometime.” And that was the last time I saw him, and the last time. Well, my team spoke to him was a Friday evening at around five. It’s been really difficult to navigate for more reasons than one.”
Baptist opened up about the struggles he faces trying to stay on the right path. Norales pointed out that this is a common reality for men like Baptist who are always striving to turn their lives around. She emphasized that sometimes, simply reaching out can be the difference between making a mistake and doing something good.
Dominique Norales
“We cannot measure what being in contact with these persons does for peace in the streets. It’s a qualitative thing, it’s a trust thing. It’s not something you can write on paper and I’ve been trying to – with my academic mind – trying to figure out how we qualitatively measure what a phone call to someone means, what someone coming to the office to just blow off steam means, what picking someone up from a situation where they probably shouldn’t be in means. You cannot measure, you cannot write that down on paper. That is not a statistic you can put on paper.”
When we spoke with Baptist, he was fully immersed in a summer program teaching kids the basics of electrical work. He shared that he hoped he had become the role model they needed.
Brandon Baptist
“You lead by example. If the kids in the studio do a lot of craziness, the kids there will do the same thing, understand me? But once you do positive, the kids there will do positive too because the kids there watch what their parents do because it starts with the home. Everything starts with the home. So, by doing this positive thing, there’s several places to teach kids electricals and stuff like that. All the kids there want to do that. Some of them don’t want to learn electrical, and some of them want to come. You understand me? So that will show them the way, if you do positive then.”
