Drowning - Channel 5 Belize

Protest Erupts in Guyana Following Death of Missing Child

The tragic death of an eleven-year-old in Guyana has ignited violent protests, resulting in a hotel and a home being burned to the ground. Adrianna Younge, a resident of Tuschen, disappeared on Wednesday while at Double Day Hotel with relatives. The community launched a search party but faced resistance from the hotel owner and law enforcement when trying to thoroughly search the premises. Relatives were allowed to enter late Wednesday night, but their search was unsuccessful. Early Thursday morning, residents gathered in front of the hotel, burning tires and demanding answers from the owner. Shortly after, Adrianna’s lifeless body was discovered in the hotel pool. This discovery sparked a series of events, including the destruction of the hotel and the owner’s home by protesters. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

This shocking video captures the moment when missing eleven-year-old Adrianna Younge was found lifeless in the pool at Double Day Hotel in Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, Guyana. Reports indicate that Younge disappeared around 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday while swimming with her family. Her relatives claim that the hotel owner and staff were reluctant to assist in their search efforts. On Thursday morning, protests erupted in front of the hotel, supporting the child’s father, Subrian Younge, just before Adrianna’s body was discovered.

Subrian Younge, Father of Deceased

“I tell you all again, like I tell social media, these people in there knows about my daughter, from the staff, to the boss, to everyone that was in there from one o’clock between two o’clock knows what is happening in there. I could move, I could get up from here right now and go home, you all give me my daughter let me go home. The soonest you give me my daughter I will go home.”

Younge’s body was discovered in the pool two hours later. Here’s what Younge’s aunt had to say to a reporter in Guyana.

Aunt of Deceased

“We were beginning the police to lock down the place so that we can search. They did not do that. A police by the name of Reece said he will lose his job if he does that. Day Day son is claiming that she left. He never offered any sympathy anything. They never allowed us to search as a family until after eleven going unto twelve.”

Videos and images from the late Wednesday night search show that Adrianna Younge was not in the pool at that time. The gruesome discovery of her lifeless body was made by a search party on Thursday morning. Her father, Subrian Younge, is seen jumping into the pool to retrieve her body.

Voice of: Guyana Resident

“We checked this pool. We checked this morning. This girl was not in this pool. This girl was not in the pool. This girl was not in this pool.”

Suspecting foul play, the situation quickly escalated into a violent protest. The Double Day Hotel was looted and later set ablaze. Following the discovery, the father gave an emotional statement.

Subrian Younge

“We search the pool this morning. We searched the pool at six this morning with police. I didn’t go there, but six of my family. They searched the whole building. I was standing there watching them and the pool was righter there. Nobody did not see the body. After ten, my daughter body appeared just so magically, dead. They would have wait for us to go away for them to move the body. But here is what I said, I would have never moved until I see her body. If it was today, I would have stand here today, tomorrow I would have done the same thing. The next day I would have done the same thing, but God.”

Protestors then turned their attention to the home of the hotel proprietors, just three streets away. It was also set ablaze and burned to the ground, while a main road was blocked. Newsroom in Guyana reports that the hotel owner has been detained by police. President Irfaan Ali issued a statement shortly after Adrianna Younge was discovered, announcing the formation of a special team to lead the investigation. He emphasized that the full truth must be uncovered, and no resource will be spared to achieve this. He also requested a detailed explanation from the police regarding their actions since the matter was reported. President Ali visited the family on Thursday evening. The protest continued today as the community seeks answers. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.

Student Drowns Right after Baptism, Months before Graduation

A tragic incident occurred on Saturday when a student from Edward P Yorke High School drowned just minutes after being baptized in the Sibun River at Gracie Rock Village. Sixteen-year-old Cayden Stewart was on a church trip with other youths from Queen Street Baptist Church. After being baptized, the group planned to go swimming, but the joyful occasion quickly turned into a nightmare when Cayden went under the water and didn’t resurface. His body was found later that afternoon after a frantic search. News Five’s Marion Ali spoke with Cayden’s Principal at E.P. Yorke and his counselor, who recently moved to another school. They described Cayden as a role model—a disciplined, respectful, and ambitious young man who was deeply committed to his faith.

Karen Canto, Principal, E.P. Yorke High School

“He was like the one that kept them together, as in one person told me that, that Cayden did not hold malice. So even if they quiet, you know, teenagers and go out to each other. By the next day, all is well again, and yes, they’re hurting thing. Yes, they are broken, male, female, but also the teachers.”

Marion Ali, Reporting

The student body and teachers at E.P. Yorke High School are grieving the sudden loss of Cayden Stewart, a fourth form student who was just a few months away from graduating. Cayden tragically drowned on Saturday, only minutes after being baptized during a church trip to Gracie Rock. Samson Jacobs, who had been Cayden’s counselor for the past four years, recently moved to another school but knew Cayden better than most. Despite his young age, Cayden has left behind a legacy and set a positive example for many, both younger and older.

Samson Jacobs, Former Counselor, E.P. Yorke High School

“He was an avid church goer. Even on Sundays when I would tell him to come, he would tell me, “Sir, I have to go to church first before I come.” So his grandmother ensured that he kept that spiritual component. He was like a sponge. He knew how to bring his classmates and his teachers together.”

Jacobs said he immediately sprang into action upon hearing the heartbreaking news, knowing that Cayden’s classmates would need support and counseling due to the profound impact he had on them.

Samson Jacobs

“Immediately when I got the report, I contacted the Belize School Counselors Association to ask them if they would be willing to come to E.P. Yorke on Monday, which is today, to lend support to the students and staff. So, when I reached there this morning – I had communicated with my principal to go over also to lend support since he was my student from First Form. So, when I went over this morning, I was happy to see the counselor from Wesley College. We had Pastor Lloyd who went over, also the counselor from Nazarene High School to lend support.”

A.C.P. Hilberto Romero shared that Cayden drowned in an area of the river that is very deep.

A.C.P. Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division

“On Saturday, police responded to a report of a drowning at Gracie Rock. Upon arrival, they saw the lifeless body of Cayden Stewart, sixteen years old. Information is that he was along with several other persons swimming when he went underwater. He did not resurface. Persons in the area began to search and found his body. No signs of injuries were observed on the body. He was taken to the morgue and is awaiting a postmortem examination.”

Reporter

“Is it directly connected to a baptism?”

A.C.P. Hilberto Romero

“Yes. They had a baptism prior to them going swimming in that area.”

Reporter

“And there were no personnel that could have helped him, to your knowledge?”

A.C.P. Hilberto Romero

“The area is deep, and he went under and he was not seen until the persons began to search.”

According to Jacobs, Cayden was a leader and set good examples for the rest of his class.

Samson Jacobs

“I had them in a chat group and when we’d meet on Saturdays and Sundays, I would say, “Guys, we will meet at school for eight o’clock. Cayden would be the first one to put in that chat group on Saturday morning “I done deh da school; weh everybody else deh?” So, he prided himself on punctuality. Another thing is that he dreamt of being an engineer. And one of the things I believe that he wanted to be, he believed that he owed that to his grandmother. His grandmother was the one who was his immediate caregiver, provider. And so, he said, “You know what, Sir? I want to go and study.” He already had a university in the States. He had applied. His death impacted me because I saw him progress and growing.”

Principal Canto said he was also very intelligent.

Karen Canto

“He’s an advanced industrial studies student. He’s in the group that we tend to call our elites, and that’s where our engineers come from. He was in first place, currently in second term; he was in first place for Industrial Studies (advanced) set to graduate.”

The Ministry of Education has expressed heartfelt condolences on the passing of Cayden Stewart, extending their sympathies to his family, friends, teachers, and classmates. In their statement, they noted, “His passing is an immense loss not only to his school community but to the entire education family.” Cayden Stewart will be laid to rest in Dangriga on Sunday, which would have been his seventeenth birthday. Marion Ali for News Five.

Family Says Drowned Man Did Not Attempt to Steal Motorcycle

On Monday, we reported on Herbin Bans, who was found dead along Old Well Road. Police said the forty-two-year-old Lord’s Bank resident tried to steal a motorcycle and escaped by swimming in nearby ponds. He was found floating in the water the next day. However, tonight, a family has come forward to clarify that Bans never tried to steal their motorcycle. Nalini Prado, the motorcycle’s owner, shares more details on the incident.

On the phone: Nalini Prado, Lord’s Bank Resident

“I live da di location. Weh happen I have, I may buy a new motorcycle and it have alarm. The alarm went off. So my husband get up and he gone outside fi check weh mi di happen. So we mi think somebody mi di thief the bike, but there was no one outside. So we gone inside back. Then we hear wa screaming. When we come outside again, we hear the screaming through the pond then. We never see nobody, but we hear the bawling, so I gone get the headlight, my husband’s headlight, and with a flash we see, that afterwards we see the person, way inna the pond, inside the pond water.”

Britney Gordon

“Was he still alive at that point?”

Nalini Prado

“He was alive. We call the police at the moment because we never know da who that person so we neva want risk fi come outside and say maybe they want trap to make somebody kill we or whatever you understand me.”

Britney Gordon

“So what happened when the police arrived? If you guys saw him, how come they did not find him?”

Nalini Prado

“When the police arrived, it looked like he saw the light from the truck and he hopped from the other pond to the other pond. So the police went and looked for him.”

Britney Gordon

“So if he was screaming for assistance or help, why is it that he ran from the police?

Nalini Prado

“I have no idea, ma’am. That’s the reason I don’t have no idea why he ran. But before he, before the police reached he hollered and said in Spanish that nobody no love ah and that they come to kill ah. That’s the way the man said before the police reached.”

Britney Gordon

“Do you think that he may have been drunk or injured?”

Nalini Prado

“He was really wasted. I have no idea who he was with but he is not somebody that goes back there at us.”

Man Drowns After Attempting to Steal Motorcycle

Over the weekend, a passerby made a grim discovery along Old Well Road in Ladyville—a man’s decomposing body floating in the water. The foul odor had already begun to permeate the area. Police later identified the man as forty-two-year-old Herbin Bans from Lord’s Bank. According to Regional Commander Hilberto Romero, Bans was wanted for attempting to steal a motorcycle the night before. Here’s more on the story.

Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division

“On Sunday, police responded to the discovery of a body at a pond in Lord’s Bank. Upon arrival, they saw the lifeless body of a male person identified as Herbin Bans of Lord’s Bank. Information is that Saturday morning Bans attempted to steal a motorcycle from the area. And when the owner came out, he ran towards the pond area. The police was called, the police responded then he continued to swim through the ponds. Then he was reported missing and on Sunday his body was found.”

Reporter

“Do you know if he was intoxicated?”

Hilberto Romero

“The information we got is that yes, he was at a nightclub the night when he went and tampered with a motorcycle.”

Reporter

“So no foul play?”

Hilberto Romero

“We are currently on investigation but the body had no injuries.”

Community Devastated After Two Bright Students Drown in Belmopan

Tonight, the University of Belize community is in mourning after a tragic drowning incident claimed the lives of two students on Thursday afternoon. The victims, twenty-two-year-old Henry Osorio and nineteen-year-old Alexander Munoz were both undergraduate biology majors. They were socializing with friends at the riverside in Guanacaste Park when their friends noticed that the pair hadn’t resurfaced from the water for over twenty minutes. This prompted them to alert the authorities. News Five’s Britney Gordon has the full report.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Today, the University of Belize’s flag flies at half-mast as students and faculty mourn the loss of Henry Osorio and Alexander Munoz. These promising biology majors were on track to graduate with their bachelor’s degrees, but their lives were tragically cut short in a drowning incident at Guanacaste Park. Staff reported that Osorio, Munoz, and two female friends arrived around two p.m., but sadly, they were found dead less than three hours later. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams has more on this unfortunate incident.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“Upon arrival there, met two females in a frantic state. Those females told the police that the two male counterparts had gone under the water and had not resurfaced. Based on not the police conducting some searches in the area and the two male individuals were found and taken from the water, but by then it was too late. They were already without life. Based on that they were taken to the hospital and they were pronounced dead on arrival. The information we gathered so far is that the four of them were socialized, two male and two female, and one of the male person went into the water to take a swim and he began to drift away. And then the other one went to rescue him and he also drifted away. And then they would both submerge and did not resurface.”

The Guanacaste Park swimming area is a favorite spot for both tourists and locals, with an entry fee of just a dollar. Police reported that the group had been drinking alcohol, which is allowed in the area. Zoe Sutherland, a friend and classmate of Alex Munoz, fondly remembers the happy times they shared at the riverside.

Zoe Sutherland, Friend of Deceased

“We skipped chem and he’s like, let me show you the river. And this was like five because we had a very late chem class. So we left and we stopped by the store. We got some snacks. And he showed me a river like by over there and we just sat and we just talked and we laughed and then he’s like, okay, let’s study chem. And I was like, what? And he’s like, yeah, you thought I took you out of chem? No. So he went over the whole topic and everything. And he’s like, I brought you here so I can teach you. And that’s one thing I will always miss is his enthusiasm and his okayness to do anything, especially for me. He always helped with anything. If I needed him there, he would be there. And he was the main reason that I passed chemistry in my second semester.”

Dr. Martin Cuellar, Dean of Student Affairs at the University of Belize, shared that the entire school is heartbroken by the news. To help students cope with their grief, the university organized a grief circle where they shared fond memories of Osario and Munoz and spoke with mental health professionals.

Dr. Martin Cuellar, Dean of Student Affairs, UB

“It’s always a tragedy when any family loses a member, especially a young, promising individual. And here we are at UB dealing with the terrible news that we have two of our students who have passed over the past twenty-four hours. As you can imagine, classmates are in tears, faculty members are breaking down. The university is in the full stages of grief. And then it is our job, obviously, as colleagues, as brothers and sisters of each other, to take care of each other as best we can. And so, we’re doing everything possible to try to take care of each other. We have a grief circle that is just wrapping up right now for close friends, classmates in particular, of Henry and Alex, and then we have a memorial scheduled or being organized for next week.”

Longtime friends of Henry Osorio attended the vigil, sharing that his death hits especially hard because they grew up with him. Yasmine Franco fondly remembers that there wasn’t a day when Henry wasn’t smiling or making someone else laugh.

Yasmine Franco, Friend of Deceased

“One time we were playing an online game, right? And she had a really bad internet connection, right? And we were all on a voice call together. And the game in summary If someone dies on your team, everyone restarts. And so she kept dying, and we were all in voice chat, and we were just screaming at her. I was laughing so hard. We all were laughing so hard. He just kept out spitting jokes, and I was like, I was in tears from laughing. And now we’re in tears from mourning. So that, that hits different, because on that game, we can create profiles, and now I saw his profile online last night, and I’m like, how was he online last night? And so I thought, that felt eerie to have lost a friend that was, it’s eerie.”

Several classmates shared that both Osorio and Munoz were exceptionally bright and often competed for the top grades in their classes. In 2021, Alex Munoz, originally from Guinea Grass in Orange Walk, served as the Speaker of the House at the Children’s Parliament. Hector Maldonado, who was supposed to meet with them for a project that very night, admired their academic drive and dedication.

Hector Maldonado, Classmate

“I really loved their interactions in class. They were like very interactive with the lecturers. They knew what they were talking about. They were book smart, we could say. And I just felt that I had the pressure of getting to their level where they are because they really knew a lot. So yeah, they were very interactive and involved in class.”

The school is also extending individual counseling to those grieving and will continue to host intimate events in memory of Henry and Alex. Britney Gordon for News Five.

Little Gabriel Orellano Laid to Rest

Today, little Gabriel Orellano was laid to rest after a funeral service at Saint Martin de Porres Church. The six-year-old Stella Maris student drowned a week ago after escaping through the school’s front gate. He ran two miles down Freetown Road, Wilson Street, and Marine Parade to the “Hangar,” where he slipped into the sea. Since then, the community has been vocal about the circumstances leading to the incident and critical of those who saw the child running in traffic but didn’t stop him. We were there and bring you these images.

Faber Says Society Must Do Better for Special Needs Children

At the end of Friday’s house meeting, Collet Area Representative and former Minister of Education, Patrick Faber, spoke about Gabriel Orellano’s tragic death. He emphasized that wearing blue for autism awareness means nothing if we don’t take collective responsibility for the child’s death and make the necessary changes as a society.

Patrick Faber, Area Representative, Collet

“This society fails, and I am sorry my friend from Belize Rural Central is not here, because she will agree with me, this society fails outrightly when we talk about how we treat, not only our children with special needs, but also our adults, even those physically challenged. We fail and we give a lot of lip service. Look at the amount of people on social media who proudly wore blue yesterday. Thank God valentine is coming up so they can wear red. Look at the amount though madam speaker and while that is encouraging, if you just wear blue yesterday to support the cause, even if you just gave a little bit of money, that is not enough. That is not enough if you don’t have some serious desire to change something that you are doing in order to make a difference, in order to make the environment in which our children live. I have a six-year-old child and wouldn’t want to see my baby running out there on the street, not an autistic child but that would complicate the matter even more. And as a parent it would kill me to know that my child left the school compound. Many of you watched the news and saw that your parents could have felt his pain. He should have had to go through that. So, Madam Speaker, I make the appeal, this is not about blaming anybody. In fact, if we want to blame, we take on the blame collectively.”

ComPol Says Police Patrol Went Looking for Gabriel

Today, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams expressed his sorrow over the tragic fate of little Gabriel Orellano. He shared that a woman police officer, who was at a hair salon at the time, saw Gabriel run by. She immediately called the 911 hotline to report the sighting. Despite her quick action and the efforts of patrols to locate him, they were unable to find Gabriel.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“It is telling on us as a society to see that the child was seen running through traffic. Several vehicles almost hit him, and nobody stopped to check to see who the child was, where he was going, or anything, like. They just left him alone. It ended up in that sad way that no one would want to see a child, you know. We also reviewed the issue with the police officer who had given an interview to the media, I think its Love FM, stating that she had seen the child and had called the 911 and gave the information. We have checked on that and it is indeed true. She called and it showed that immediately after she called, the diary entry showed that she passed the information on to the patrols that were out. The patrols went and checked. Unfortunately, they were not able to find him, and again, you can see in the video, the child was moving very fast, and so, because of that, the patrol was not able to locate the child.”

ComPol Says Criminally Culpability for Gabriel’s Death is Difficult

Williams stated that the investigation into Gabriel’s tragic death is examining whether anyone can be held criminally or legally responsible. He explained that once children are at school, they are under the school’s custody. However, he noted that despite this, it will be challenging to find grounds to hold anyone criminally accountable for the child’s death.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“ At the end of the investigation, we will refer the matter to the DPP, but, I don’t foresee her giving such directives. At the end of the day, I think even the teachers at Stella Maris are shaken up by what happened. They are going through their own things right now because certainly they would not have wanted that to happen to the child. But we’ll see when that time comes.”

Paul Lopez

“Is there a main fact the police are trying to establish in their investigation?”

Chester Williams

“Well, the issue that we’ll be looking at is to see if there is any culpability in terms of negligence on the part of anybody. They would know that if you are in charge of a child, you have not just a moral obligation but also a legal obligation to ensure the safety of that child. And once that obligation is broken by way of negligence, then you can be held liable.”

Gabriel Orellano to Be Laid to Rest Monday

Little Gabriel will be laid to rest on Monday, and his father, Vidal Orellano, shared that many schools and individuals have expressed their desire to attend. He also mentioned the overwhelming support from the community. On Thursday night, a group of motorcyclists arrived at Gabriel’s grandmother’s home, handing over a box of money they had collected to help the family. Dressed in blue, revving their engines, and honking their horns, the cyclists then rode the two-mile route that Gabriel ran on Monday afternoon. Vidal Orellano told News Five that he deeply appreciates the public’s show of support.

Vidal Orellano, Father of Deceased

“They have some schools that are calling that want to participate for his funeral and more people are coming, so we’re working out things to see how we do it Monday. Right now I’m happy because the community of Belize is helping my son, and sorry about what happened to him, especially since he was a special needs person. And he is helping the community now to see that special kids need more attention, need more care, need more eyes to watch them mek this nuh happen again. I want to thank the people who have supported me, people who did the bike ride, the people who bring me the gifts last night, the people who are wearing blue for my son, I want to thank all of them from the bottom of my heart for all the support for him. With this I know my son will live on through everybody because everybody knows him now.”