NOPCA says parents too complacent, police need help
While the police and medical examiner wrestle with solving the child murders, the National Organization for the Prevention of Child Abuse has become increasingly disturbed, not only by the killings, but the complacency that seems to exist in the homes of the children being targeted. Director Lorna McDougal says it is the children from poor single parent families that are being lured to their deaths by someone who appears trustworthy and willing give them a ride in a vehicle or money and treats. Today McDougal spoke out about a number of issues which, if not addressed, could lead to more killings.
Lorna McDougal, Director, NOPCA
“Children seem to be in a real crisis situation that they are really vulnerable and that we seem not to be able to come up with the kind of responses that would provide them with the kind of safety that they need to protect themselves. They are easy prey, these are the children who are out there. These are the children whose parents rely on to do their errands for them they are sent to buy the bread or boledo to do anything.”
“But we would want parents to really sit down and talk with their children so that children can develop information, acquire information that would be a help to them, that they will be able to provide a safety net for themselves. I believe it could be one or more than one person working together. I believe though the four cases are related that it could be one or persons working together. I do not believe we have four different murderers, I believe we have one or a group of persons that are responsible for these murders.”
“I believe that and based on conversations with the police I believe that they themselves have come to the place where they have recognized that they now should get some outside expertise to assist them and support them with their investigation. I believe now that it has really gotten beyond what the police here can do.”
“Jackie, I would like to believe that it is over but when you look at the circumstances, when you look at the pattern of the killings and regardless of what others might say or the police might come up with, I see some similarities in the murders and I believe that if we are not able to get to the bottom of it quickly and certainly we would have another one.”
McDougal urges all parents in Belize to get more involved with their children and talk with them. She says children need to know what to do when they come across somebody, even someone they know, who offers them a ride or tries to give them money.
