Eight year old murder victim, Eyannie Nunez, laid to rest
eyannie nunez
Today Belize City witnessed one of the largest funerals that brought out thousands along the path to the cemetery. The state like procession was also heart wrenching and terribly emotional for onlookers from every walk of life as well as educational institutions. Eight year old Eyannie Nunez was laid to rest; she was murdered early Sunday morning when a volley of bullets pummeled her house as she slept. Eyannie was among four victims who were killed in Sunday morning’s wild murder spree. She became the symbol that crime had reached proportions not seen before. Around the country today, Belizeans unified to protest in the strongest and clearest terms that they have had enough of the mayhem and bloodshed. News Five’s Isani Cayetano begins our coverage of today’s goodbye to innocence.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
The death of eight year old Eyannie Nunez, despite its most tragic circumstance, served to galvanize several thousand Belizeans as they converged in throngs upon All Saints School’s compound. Students and onlookers lined both sides of Dunn Street as a small procession, carrying the casket of one of Belize’s youngest casualties of urban warfare, made its way into the church. Families and friends poured into the small chapel where they were joined by a host of political and social activists. Today’s Mass of Thanksgiving and the subsequent funeral procession served as a bold statement made by the Belizean public that the urgent issue of crime and violence needs to be addressed. Unfortunately it took the life of little Eyannie, another innocent victim, for that message to be sent. Her sister, Deandra, who was away in the States didn’t get an opportunity to say goodbye.
deandra humes
Deandra Humes, Sister of Eyannie Nunez
“The last day I saw my sister was on the twentieth of July. I told her, the day before she left to go to school, she told me, “Sister you gwen da states?” I said, “Yes baby.” Ih seh, “So ah noh wa see you again? Yon oh wah come back?” I said, “ I might come back, I noh sure.” Ih seh, “Alright then have wah safe trip, Bye.” And ih she, “Love yo sister.” And I hug her and I tell ahn, “Love you too.” I never think that mi wah be the last day I mi ever gonna hear or see my sister again.”
Equally coping with the grief of losing a loved one is Theodore Mahler, the father of eight year old Marquise, who was also ruthlessly gunned down a few months ago. Mahler attended the funeral service in solidarity with other grieving families affected by the scourge of gang violence.
Theodore Mahler, Father of Marquise Mahler
“The way things di go, it hard to believe how people just di kill up each other like that, especially innocent pikney, you know. And nothing noh the come out of it. Dah noh like they noh know da who. Police they know exactly who dah the murders they—dah one set ah youth.”
Echoing that sentiment was Jude Lopez, one of many supporters who believes that stringent measures need to be taken to control the current state of affairs. Those actions Lopez says begin at home.
Jude Lopez
“This situation out of control as we all know. This dah the second child that we have to bury like this as a society just fi this year—the third I could remember for the year alone weh get injured—the first was the young lee girl, Janay. There is a lot of things weh di feed into this situation but sometimes you wah question whether they have the political will to solve the problem or not. But then the thing is dah not to only blame the government because we all form wah part of this we all play wah part eena this.”
While students sang religious hymns outside family and friends inside the church had to be consoled as the reality that they had lost Eyannie to this plague began to set in. The resounding cry as in many other unsolved cases is for justice to be served.
Deandra Humes
“All I want to say is that I want justice. Justice to be found and I want all the crime to stop. It’s really ridiculous. I mean she was in her bed sleeping innocently, have nothing to do with anything that is happening out here in the city and I noh know what to say, but I just need to find justice for her and for all the young children that is dying out here because you never know who it may be tomorrow.”
It’s a sobering request, one that begs the powers that be to take a critical look at the problem at hand and its solution. Several months ago Michelle Sebastian lost her nephew Teddy Murrillo at the hands of an unknown killer. Despite her grief she came out to lend emotional and moral support to the family of Eyannie Nunez.
Michelle Sebastian Aunt of Teddy Murrillo
“I’m standing against crime and violence. Today as we see we have much children, young people adults dying for nothing no cause. So I come out to stand against crime and violence this evening.”
At the end of the service throngs of students from various primary and high schools across the country joined in protest not only to bid farewell to a fallen angel but to reiterate to the government agencies and the handful of criminals committing these senseless acts that enough is enough. Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.
maybe now the GOB will do something!!! ENOUGH!!
I really really hope that our youths, our educated youths and citizens could do something to stop all this crime and violence.. It’s hard to see love ones go just like that, it’s really hard. Who could be next, who knows. Life is good when it blossoms, but when death comes along the way, and takes away your love ones, what can you do… Our future lies in the hands of our educated youths who will make a difference for the years to come, I really hope to see a big difference in the lives of our Belizean people. God loves us, and He blesses us.
I am so appauled and literally shocked at what OUR Belize has come to! I am embarrassed and disappointed at the government to allow gangs to conquer OUR Belize. I live in the US and keep abreast of the news everyday! We need to start a protest that will sing in the ears of the Belizean government, police force, and BDF! We can definitely start with a mandatory curfew for the youths, involve the BDF in street patrols, and raid gang residences which will lead to seizure of weapons! I am ready to make a difference. Are You?
May god bless this little angels soul. And may the devil deal with the ones that took this little girls life. May you be damned!!!
Listen to one of the solutions. First thing is to poision all the criminals @ the Kolbe Foundation, get rid of them then the entire population of Belize – united and storm Belize City Streets and gang strong hole and budge out the rats thats causing havoc in our beautiful Jewel. We will all suffer if we dont come together and do something soon. Burn down them shanty hoods and let them know we are not afraid of them. If dont take drastice measures the types of crime will get worse. The system is not working, we all know that and the people in power are so blinded to it all until when it hits their home. Come on mr prime minister you have the power to eradicate this scums and rotten apple in the society dont wait unitl it spoil the whole bunch (kids growing up in this same nonsense) Please do something before we the people do something drastic cause u will be eradicated also….. I love my country and it would hurt to see it go down….
I agree with part of what My Belize said, I too live in the US, and yes the police needs to step up and do a lot more, but I remember the days when parenting was shared by the community, neighbors and friends, etc., who as a kid I resented for always yelling I’m going straight to your mother. Well my mother didn’t even want to hear my part of the story, so you know what I got, and heaven helped me if it was my dad they met. So, guess what I did made sure I always stayed on the right path.
It’s really sad when you are afraid to visit your home, because it’s not safe to walk the streets and reminisce about old times. Why aren’t these parents able to control their teenage kids? Do you think as kids growing up we could take anything items home that my parents didn’t buy, they would send us to take it right back where we got it? I have a feeling these parents know exactly what their children are up to and close a blind eye to it. I raised three children here in America and I instilled the same values I received as a child in Belize, but now it’s a different Belize.
My sincere Condolences to her family. This is very sad 🙁
first off I would like to say to the family of little Eyannie that my sympathy and prayers are with them. May God bless all of you. Now tothe goverment of belize. What on gods green earth is going on down there? Why is it that these stupid animals are allowed to do all the dumb things that they are doing? I agree with concern citizen. Burn them out, raid them, hang them at bridge foot, shoot them, poison them whatever it takes to eradicate them. The other day while reading the news the prime minister said we should be proud of belize. Well Mr. PRIME MINISTER PLEASE GIVE ME SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF. Because innocent children are dying and these children are our future. Do something about those hudlums.
R.I.P Eyannie
This LITTLE ANGEL gave her life to bring her country together to rally against crime and for the safety of children.
MAY THE GOOD LORD BLESS HER SOUL!!!
It is very sad to hear and see such tragic. My advise to GOB is to go ahead with the curfew. Nobody on the streets of Belize City after 9pm. There has got to be some serious measures here. Also I think we should invest more in the Belize Defense Force and Police Officers. Better salaries should be paid in these divisions encouraging more qualified people to join, so more forces can be implemented on the streets and neighborhoods in Belize City.
i think GOB sould do something about this because he aint doing nothing . i love my country and to see my country go down like this and i would love 2 help my country be a better place cause u know what its like 2 see all the inocent kids get hurt and die cause DEAN BARROW not doing nothing nobody not doing nothing and it really hurt my heart 2 now that no one dont feel safe in belize and i even wonder does dean barrow even have a heart wow , My name is whitney Gordon and im 12years old care 4 my country belize. plz do something dean barrow plz no 1 dont want 2 die and i blame u for everything that is happening in that country
HURRAY!!!! HURRAY!!!! ” MY BELIZE I LOVE YOUR POINT OF VIEW” SO WELL SPOKEN….
thats what I’m talking about Concern Citizen! Me and you we seeing eye to eye, we start with one and continue strenghtening. Or we can sit back and get picked off while living in fear about tomorrow or the next minute, hour or seconds. Good Belizeans if the mountain wont come to mohamed then mohamed must go to the mountain! This is real, our lives are at stake. You might be next, dont get cornered. Thats what the criminals like, control and the thing is its all young punks that dont do anything positive for Belize, eradicate them no use spending tax money on jailing them.
It is so sad to see this kind of thing taking place in my beloved country. The government needs to step in and weed out these detestible b…….. that are killing our youth out of ignorance. They need to get BDF to do raids to get these guns and drugs off the streets so these gangs can’t make a living on terrorizing the innocent and killing our children. Maybe the citizens in the city and all over can try to do neighborhood watch programs to help the police weed out these traitors that are killing our beloved country with senseless violence……I love Belize and will pray to God for a better government that will care enough about the citizens to take action!
Jah Bless and watch over the Nunez Family Negus Internet Solutions wished the Nunez Family the Best throughout their years without their daughter.
I agree with Concern Citizen, sooner or later something drastic has to happen to stop the violence.Mr Prime minister we as Belizeans near and far are appealing to you to please get up of your —and do what you know needs to be done. Don;t wait until your family gets hit before you do something, as P>M> ALL OF BELIZE IS YOUR FAMILY. We need help here in SOdom and Gomorah. When this stench hits heaven God will do his THING{like some other countries}.May God give our P.M wisdom to know when to step in.. the time is now.
I am a grown man but reading the story of this baby brought tears to my eyes. Was it anger, frustration and a feeling of helplessness? I am not sure, as it could well be all of the above. What i do know , for sure , is that the time for conversation is over. Draconian is a word that comes out of the Prime Minister’s mouth from time to time. Well, Mr. Prime Minister, let’s see some draconian measures………NOW !!!!! Belize is way too small for the authorities not to know who all are responsible for this madness that has the place paralized.
I am not blaming the PM and the police for all this violence but I am surely holding them responsible for their lack of inginuity, initiative and a plain and simple desire to put a halt to this foolishness. Take my foolish advice. Do something Mr. Man………!!!!
Eyannie a mommy Article 25. united nations… one love
(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
(2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.