By Aaron Humes: Punta Gorda Town, Toledo District, was rocked on Sunday by the disappearance, then alleged drowning of three-year-old Asher Mejia, whose body was found on the seashore near the wharf on Front Street across from St. Peter Claver School shortly after midday on Sunday.
On Monday, Police Staff Officer Assistant Superintendent Stacy Smith detailed his last hours: “Initial investigation suggests that sometime around 11:00 a.m. Mejia is believed to have left his residence and his parents [were] of the view that he had accompanied siblings of his to a nearby store to purchase snacks; it was only when those siblings returned and Mejia was not along with [them] that they were aware of his disappearance. Efforts were made to discover him and that concluded when he was found in the sea…”
Described as smart and friendly, Asher appeared naturally curious as children are at his age, but according to Punta Gorda police, he had similarly gone walkabout only a few days earlier, as reported by ASP Smith: “…I think some 3 days prior his parents would have visited the Punta Gorda Police Station and reported him missing after their efforts to locate him proved futile; however, shortly after that he was located in a, I believe a little dog house in a neighbor’s property. The parents suggested that given on this occasion that he had done similar in the past and they had not reported it immediately and this is the result.”
This time, Asher managed to get as far away as the seashore wharf, about one mile from the family’s Pampana Street residence or about a 15 to 20 minute walk by foot. They had just come back from church and Sunday school and the kids were getting a treat from a nearby shop when the alarm was raised. Asher’s father told Channel 7 News he denies claims that he and his wife were not taking care of their son.
Asher’s father is a pastor and his mother a domestic and he had six siblings. ASP Smith noted that police will leave discretion on charges for child neglect to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, but issued caution on looking out for the little ones, referencing the tragedy of Gabriel Orellana in Belize City in similar circumstances a few months ago: “…what I will comment on is that the area where the child was found is reported to be some one mile away from his home so this suggest that there was for a considerable period of time this child walking on the street and that for me presented an opportunity for persons to have intercepted him and done the needful. This is not the first instance I could recall with much regret, the instance with baby Orellana from Stella Maris where he was seen on the street and again persons did not intercede. I know Easter is coming up shortly and there will be more children who will be at home and though we encourage parents to improve their supervision there is also a role for those in society to play when these incidents happen and they observe these very young children or children with diverse abilities on the street and without proper supervision.”
Police are said to now be reviewing surveillance cameras in the area to see how he entered the sea.
The post Asher Mejia, three, died in sea a mile away from home; police issue warning on negligence appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Aaron Humes: Punta Gorda Town, Toledo District, was rocked on Sunday by the disappearance, then alleged drowning of three-year-old Asher Mejia, whose body was found on the seashore near the wharf on Front Street across from St. Peter Claver School shortly after midday on Sunday. On Monday, Police Staff Officer Assistant Superintendent Stacy Smith
The post Asher Mejia, three, died in sea a mile away from home; police issue warning on negligence appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.