Posted: Wednesday, October 22, 2025. 4:40 pm CST.
By Zoila Palma: The Special Envoy for the Development of Families and Children Rossana Briceño has issued a powerful condemnation describing a systemic failure following the horrific deaths of Angelita Magaña and her two children, Tishan and Shadia, who were burned alive inside their home in San Felipe Village.
The Special Envoy’s Office expressed deep sorrow and outrage over the tragedy, calling for immediate accountability from the police, the courts, and all institutions responsible for protecting victims of domestic violence.
“This tragedy should never have happened,” the release stated. “Angelita did everything right; she asked for help, she sought protection, she trusted the system. Yet, the very system that was meant to keep her and her children safe failed them completely.”
The statement sharply criticized the Belize Police Department and the justice system for failing to prevent the killings, despite what it said were “repeated signs of danger.”
“When an abuser is granted bail despite a record of violence, and when victims’ pleas are not treated with urgency, the system itself becomes a part of the problem,” the Office declared.
The Special Envoy’s Office has, through the Spouses of CARICOM Leaders Action Network (SCLAN), conducted several trainings on gender-based violence (GBV) for police and military officers across Belize. These sessions were designed to help officers handle domestic violence cases with “compassion and understanding.”
However, the release expressed frustration that the impact of such trainings has not translated into effective protection for victims.
“Despite all the sessions, despite all the training, some officers and institutions still do not fully understand the most basic part of their job: to protect those who cannot protect themselves,” the statement read.
The Office also drew attention to chronic issues in the national response system, citing unanswered calls to domestic violence hotlines and 911 operators as further examples of institutional neglect.
“It’s disheartening to consider that these phone operators sometimes neglect the calls of vulnerable individuals, leaving them without the critical support and protection they desperately seek,” the release said.
The Special Envoy’s Office is demanding a full review of bail procedures in domestic violence cases, stronger enforcement of restraining orders, and greater accountability from all law enforcement agencies.
“This cannot be another case we talk about for a few days and then forget,” the Office emphasized. “We owe Angelita, Tishan, and Shadia better. We owe every mother, every child, and every survivor of abuse the promise that the system will not fail them again.”
MBriceño reaffirmed the Office’s commitment to strengthening Belize’s protection systems and called for gender-based violence to be treated as a national crisis.
“Let us not wait for another mother, another child, another family to suffer before we decide that enough is enough,” the release concluded.
Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Belize ~ We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages. Your content is delivered instantly to thousands of users in Belize and abroad! Contact us at mаrkеtіng@brеаkіngbеlіzеnеwѕ.соm or call us at 501-612-0315.
© 2025, BreakingBelizeNews.com. Content is copyrighted and requires written permission for reprinting in online or print media. Theft of content without permission/payment is punishable by law.
The post Special Envoy: “The system failed this family” appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Posted: Wednesday, October 22, 2025. 4:40 pm CST. By Zoila Palma: The Special Envoy for the Development of Families and Children Rossana Briceño has issued a
The post Special Envoy: “The system failed this family” appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.