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.