Family and friends stunned by killing of child in P.G.

Residents of Punta Gorda Town are still reeling after the seemingly inexplicable death of five-year-old Ezekiel Nesbitt. He was found floating in the sea just yards from the restaurant where his father and sister were waiting for food. He had been brutally beaten. No one knows why. Those who knew Ezekiel, or Zeke as he was called, cannot understand why anyone would want to hurt a child who brought so much joy to his family and friends. News Five went to P.G. this morning and although his father was too distraught to appear on camera, his friends spoke for him. They told us about the nightmare that night.

France Westby, Family Friend

“He was always friendly to people. He was a very trusting kid. He would never think that somebody would try to take him and hurt him.”

But someone may have hurt this trusting little boy. Ezekiel Nesbitt, his father and sister had gone to the Mangrove Inn on Front Street for dinner around seven thirty p.m. on Tuesday night. Chris Nesbitt said he had just made the order when his son asked if he could go outside and catch crabs. John Harris, the restaurant owner and a family friend, said ten to fifteen minutes later, Zeke was gone.

John Harris, Owner, Mangrove Inn

“Chris went outside to call for his son and there was no answer. So we presumed Zeke had followed the sounds of the drums to the park or maybe he had wandered up the street.”

A search party was immediately launched.

Jacqueline Woods

“Two hours later his body was found floating head down in the water. At this time it is not clear what happened to Zeke but when his body was discovered it was badly beaten.”

Harris says when he pulled the body from the water, what he saw was not consistent with an accident.

John Harris

“When Chris saw the body three minutes after I had extracted it from the water, instantly he demanded to know how his son got so beaten up or how he looked so bad. Why was his mouth bleeding? Why there were scrapes on his neck? Why is his back cut? Why is his feet cut?”

Also found at the scene was a knapsack containing an empty rum bottle and bags of rice and beans. Felipe Cowo of Laguna Village reportedly identified the bag as his. According to Harris, several people told him Cowo is the same man they saw with Ezekiel shortly before he disappeared. Harris also identified Cowo as the man they met while the group was conducting their search.

John Harris

“We found the Indian man about three quarter mile north of the restaurant. He was brought back here and questioned in front of the restaurant by Chris, the father, but he was very intoxicated and he kept saying he never did hurt anybody. He was rolling about the grass and crying. Basically we were looking for a live child and we just left him because we assume that the child would appear at anytime.”

Cowo has been taken into custody and remains in police lock up in Punta Gorda Town.

Jacqueline Woods

“Punta Gorda police have declined to comment on camera, saying only that they are treating the case as a homicide due to the evidence they have collected.”

France Westby says this is the first time Punta Gorda Town is facing such a bizarre tragedy. He believes the incident will forever change the way people live.

France Westby

“In Punta Gorda you see children playing in the park. You see their mothers sitting maybe about a hundred yards away. We are not used to telling people, oh not to talk to strangers, don’t smile with that one, you can’t say hello to that one.

It never happened; it never happened! You never heard about a five-year-old… What could a five-year-old do to anybody to deserve such a death?”

This evening police told News Five they have charged Felipe Cowo with murder. He has been transferred to the Hattieville Prison. Zeke’s mother is on her way back from the United States. She had left on Tuesday, the same day her son died, to undergo medical treatment. Chris Nesbitt and his wife moved to Belize from the US five years ago and became citizens. Zeke was born in Belize.