9 year old youth murdered
Joshua Abraham
Shortly after that statement was made in Belmopan, a nine year old school boy became a victim of the bad blood between two gangs in the city after viewing the formal parade on Independence Day in Belize City. Joshua Abraham was fatally shot on Victoria Street; he is also the son of a reputed George Street figure. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports.
Marcia Argalles, Mother of Murder Victim
“Ih haad. Wah lotta people might say but Ms. Marcia you di stand up strong, you’re not crying. I lean on God Isani, I di lean on God and I ask he fi give me the strength.”
Marcia Argalles
Marcia Argalles is the mother of nine year old Joshua Abraham, a student of Ebenezer Methodist School, who was shot and killed on Independence Day minutes after observing the annual uniform parade. Despite the immense tragedy Argalles maintains remarkable composure. According to her a pair of gunmen surfaced in the neighborhood, took aim at their quarry, who was standing a few feet away on Victoria Street, and opened fire. Josh was at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Marcia Argalles
“It was like thirty minutes to thirty-five minutes after the parade passed North Front Street. Dehn mi deh outside. The kids, you know, everybody deh out. It’s a day that everybody free up dehnself and my son mi deh outside and he, ih look like he was about to cross the street to go buy at the shop when the gun men dehn come from New Road coming up into Victoria Street and from a distance they started shooting. I guess they saw their enemies or whoever they are having their rivalry with and they started shooting.”
At that moment, presumably in fright, Joshua dashed across the street in the direction of his home but it was too late. He had already been hit in the upper left chest.
Marcia Argalles
“I heard the gunshots. I heard him holla ma and when he holler ma I said that da my Josh and I peeped through the window and I only sih ahn di run and I holla Josh, Josh, Josh and he just run eena di house, the nearest house and da right een deh when ih collapse and I heard the neighbors dehn di holla Ms. Marcia da your son, da your son and I just run outta di house. By the time I get out to the front dehn already had ahn, two guys already put ahn eena di vehicle and I just jump eena di vehicle, bring ahn ya da Karl Heusner but it was death on arrival.”
The murder of the standard two student is eerily reminiscent to that of eight year old Eyannie Nunez a year ago, sans the fact that she was slumbering inside her home when a pair of killers assaulted the residence. They were both innocent children caught in the fray of rival Belize City gangs. Like hers a year ago, Joshua’s homeroom teacher, along with his classmates, today prepared a shrine at his desk.
Kamela Crawford
Kamela Crawford, Homeroom Teacher
“It’s very difficult for us. This morning was extremely difficult because we got all the children together. Some of them heard because many of our students live in this neighborhood so many of them heard as it happened yesterday but for the rest of them we told them today and it was very difficult. We had to get four councilors in here today along with the ministers of our church so they all had us in groups. We talked about it and they were able to express how they felt. Some of them said they were feeling mad.”
… But the anger being felt is not limited to his classmates. Joshua’s father Carlos ‘Zimbab’ Abraham is a reputed street figure. Despite what many believe will be an act of reprisal police press officer Sergeant Fitzroy Yearwood says that Abraham has given his assurance that the loss of his son will not be avenged.
Fitzroy Yearwood
Sgt. Fitzroy Yearwood, Police Press Officer
“The son of Carlos Abraham lived with his grandparents, the maternal grandparents and it’s unfair for anybody to go out there and try to put this on his father. When I said rival groups we have a situation brewing between members of a Kelly Street group and Victoria Street. This has nothing, absolutely nothing to do with Zimbab as we know him and anything to do with the George Street situation. I spoke with the father who wants to assure us that he has totally put this in the hands of the law and we hope to make an arrest soon, to bring closure to the family.”
According to Yearwood an arrest has been made and police are seeking another suspect whom they believe participated in the Independence Day shooting. Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.
The number of murders subsided since the September fourth truce, but on Monday four persons were shot on Flamboyant Street. It appeared to be gang related.
This is so sad. I am so upset with these idiots and the carnage they spread in the country. When a nine year old is not safe to stand at his corner and watch a parade without the chance that he could be shot is heavily apparent and real, then we are indeed prisoners on our own right. I would to see harsher penalties handed out and i would like to see the GSU bring the fight to them in a solid and iron-fisted manner. There seems to be no other way out..!!!
Mr. Prime Minister I want to ask why? Why would you as a parent do nothing? I Mr. Prime Minister, I am not pointing out so much the facts about your power and rule over society; I am however pointing out the fact that you are a parent. I am wondering… Do you love your children and would never want to see them come to any harm? Why do you stand aside and in the shadows of power and do nothing for all these people’s children, your fellow Belizean and fellow men and women. Why Sir? Is it because your children are better than ours and matter more? Nine years old is by many standards pure, innocent and almost 100% without fault. What could have Joshua Abraham have done not to deserve the opportunity of being an attorney, the owner of a lending institution or even a failed “rapper”? Come on Sir these mistakes that their mom should have swallowed are taking away the very future of our country and you are fiddling while Rome burns.
There is a God above and he will cast judgment over every man good or bad, but what if God forgives those who prevent another’s death by any means necessary? Mr. Prime Minister this Childs blood is on your hands and every good law abiding citizen of this country, it is on our hands for standing by and allowing this and what can be many more senselessness like this to happen if we don’t stand up united and do something to prevent another child from suffering the same faith as this child. But truth be told there are two victims instead of one. They are victims in much different ways with a grim finality; one is the product of societies neglect towards their fellow man and the other is the victim of the victim of societies neglect. The only way out of this is to get rid of the ones we have now (wink wink, just in case the human rights commission is reading and don’t live in a virtual warzone where every time you leave your house you have less and less chance of coming back alive…HANG EM’ HIGH) and concentrate on the ones that are not there yet. Just get rid of the bad examples but start from the parents down (not the finality part of course) to the child. You like social programs so offer parenting classes with election time incentives 😉 but make sure to make them earn it (so don’t follow the election time contingency plan to a T), That way these half a$$ parents don’t bring up no ride by shooters).
It really starts from the mother whose son doesn’t have gainful employment but brings home flat screen TV’s for her to watch news of mothers crying about sons just like hers. I won’t bash anyone whole sale (but they say if yuh trow stone eena hog pen…). Now come on and tell me that the “gangster” doesn’t start at home.
It’s a cycle and I will say one thing Mr. Prime Minister, if my legacy is ever taken away from me then my l purpose on this earth shall be no more and I will have my revenge in this life by any means necessary and God can have what is left. Bad things happen when good men stand by and do nothing.
well HON. DEAN BARROW FOR ALL YOU DID OR DID NOT DO WE ARE BACK TO IT AGAIN VOILENCE AND MORE SHOOTINGS NOT GOOD NOT GOOD
INSTEAD OF GLORIFING AND MAKING HEROES OF THESE GANG THUGS THINK THEY WILL NEVER CHANGE NOT IN THIS LIFE SO THE NEXT LIFE FOR THEM IS A BETTER OPTION DO YOU AGREE MR. PM
You can’t be at the wrong place at the wrong time while standing on your own street.
I get the feeling this is no longer just gang wars but terrorism and should be dealt with as such. This stuff is scaring people away from Belize. Its harming tourism, its scaring those of us who live here, its doing harm to the country!
BELIZEAN
I appreciate hearing everyone’s views through this website but everyone is writing addressing the PM of the country as if though he makes any time to come on this website to read any of what we write. What we as a Belizean people need to do is get off our @** get out there and demand change…just as how the mexicans and other places and people in the world can stand up and fight fight fight…Barrow doesnt have anytime to be worrying about us and when we suffer…we are the ones that are feeling the pinch and the #*%*5 lick everyday, we are the ones that are afraid to leave our homes to go to the shop, parks wherever… to put it plain and simple “please stop depending on these damn ediats in government no matter PUP or UDP all these !@#$%^& are the same, but yet we waste our time being nice talking to them when we should be demanding what we want -in case belizeans didnt know they are employed by us but yet we act as if though they are Kings many of them are regular men of the streets of belize who in many cases know less than us…WHEN WILL WE STOP BEING SO SUBMISSIVE AND GET UP OFF OUR @@$$$$#$$$ AND DEMAND CHANGE DEMAND BETTER DONT YOU THINK WITH DESERVE MORE????
It is indeed heart wrenching to hear another innocent child being robbed of his future. But what I can’t come to grips with, what irks me is the pointing of fingers to the PM as if HE is God and can solve ALL our societal issues. Please by no means feel like I’m a fan of our very pompous educated ellected leader for I am no fan of politics….I call a spade a spade.
All I’m saying is that we should look into the homes of those who cause these heinous crimes and we’ll see the very essence of what plagues our society; the lack of proper parenting; neglect; children having children, and the list goes on. It all begins at home! We can blame the Ministers, we can blame the TV, but everytime we point A FINGER do take a glance at which direction the others are pointing.
For us to truly rid society of those who have no respect for law and order, we need to start looking out for each other the way we used to. The saying goes…it takes a community to raise a child….we need to start looking out for each other. The reason most of these crooks and killers feel invinsible is becasue we are afraid as a society to come together and convict them of the crimes they commit. We instead turn a blind eye and hope it doesn’t happen to us. This won’t solve our problems.
It starts with us as a people to know what we want for our community, for our society, for our nation, for our children and their future. Let’s be the big brother and sister, let’s be the nosey neighbor(even though I can’t stand them), let’s be our brother’s keeper.
my point of view if that we as parents need to understand that whatever in live as a youth we did can return back to haunt our own kids later. “his father is a well known street figure” seems to me that the father never thought that living the low life was going to affect his kids life at any point in time. now he’s accepting in a way of no revenge but the harm has been done a kid’s life has been cut short but sadly it’s his son. it brings anger to us the reader and viewers but the reality it’s the parents to blame the majority in this case. It’s sad to see now that the kid has nothing to do with what his dad past life or present life might had contributed to his death. Hope the PM address the death penalty very soon or else this will turn more ugly and end in a civil war. R.I.P little Belizean brother life was to short for you may the Lord hold you in his loving arms.
My condolence to the family of Joshua Abraham this on hit me i don’t know the family but i have kids too. so sleep on little Josh the angels will take care of you, and believe me baby the one that cause this he can run from man law but he CANNOT run from the wrath of god he will pay dearly.
There is no such thing as been at the wrong place at the wrong time.Let’s stop finding a way to justify what these criminals are doing.The fact is that this kid is dead and someone needs to be held resposible.Furthermore every Belizean should be able to go where ever they want to go in their country without fear of been killed.
Mr. Pm through truce out the window. first of all why should the government want truce with gangs. who is running the country? it is clear to see that the government does not have control. the government need to step up on these so call bad boys and show who is law around here, and stop trying to make truce. eradicate the pest in the neighborhood once and for all. Mr Pm stop making it easy for criminals to repeat themselves. this should have never happen in the first place.
Mr. Pm through truce out the window. first of all why should the government want truce with gangs. who is running the country? it is clear to see that the government does not have control. the government need to step up on these so call bad boys and show who is law around here, and stop trying to make truce. eradicate the pest in the neighborhood once and for all. Mr Pm stop making it easy for criminals to repeat themselves.
It is very heartbreaking to hear that another innocent child has been slain in the city, for what?? It will be on the news and if the men are caught, they will be released after a 5 year sentence…HANG THEM!! There is no space in this place for murderers!! Our kids, cousins, nephews are being killed let us have our justice!! Belizeans!!! Take control of the city, if they need a demonstration riot again, strike so that they see that we hurt even if its not our family, but a child must have the freedom to run once more. They must be able to roam our streets like they used to!! May you rest in peace Josh! Our prayers go out to the family so they may find peace in a time of war!
Gang truce, and the very moment Barrow was praising his so called gang truce Joshua Abraham was being ruthlessly murdered by the same gang elements. Barrow and Doug Singh live in mansions with security guards around them. they live in a fantasy world. while our children are being slaughtered. lets have public consultations on crime and violence instead of Ninth Amendment.
Very sad, troubling, tears of sadness for all the children of Belize who is our future. After Cain killed killed his brother Abel, God asked him ” where is Abel?, he said he is not his brother’s keeper.. We need to stop being so political minded thinking the politicians are the answer for life woes. … Remember it was God idea for government, It all started with Him, so it seem logical when there is a problem in life we would go back to the book to see what He have to say about the matter …Seem so simple, but yes, only God can change the human hearts, no prime minister, police or whomever you may think.. He is the answer… I am praying as He have instructed us what to do for Government, so we can all live a peaceful life. I want to do my part by His Grace ( His ability ), do you? The mother of the child seem to have a grip on who God is and is taking that high road. My prayer is that God will continue to minister to her through this ordeal…God bless Belize….
RIP Little Josh. Only God knows why.
@ KEEPIT REAL……The PM has people that he assigns TO MONITOR THIS WEBSITE AND MAKE POSITIVE ENTRIES WHEN NECESSARY, he said so himself.
HE KNOWS WHAT’S GOING ON!!!
i agree with you KEEPINITREAL, but if you havent notice it is only the spanish people that will get up and fight for what they want in this country, The creole people only talk but when time to get up they back down. They are lazy and want others to fight for them.
Capital punishment.. they don’t respect nor honor innocent kids.. why should we entertain them with there non sence,, clean the street ,, call me inhumane but they are as good as dead,, jail,,, no man jail to sweet and nice,,,, I believe in human right,.,,, but when it comes to killing kids and raping them,,, If I stand and tolerate it in the name of human right ,, then I am no better than the one that raped or did the killing… to those innocence children… who are deprived from life and joy… .. it time to take a stand.. for OUR KIDS… I know fire is not put out with fire… but sometimes,,, u just have to pay certain people with the same coin,, or just kill the rabied animal..so no more harm is done…
Yes, Belize people got to get up and take the country back and make it safe again. Make it a wonderful place again. Stop the crimes. Have neighborhood watches and turn it to a place where the families can go outside and enjoy it.
RIP Little Angel. I don’t even know u or ur family but i shed tears when i heard what happened to you. I’m sorry you had to suffer like this but i’m sure you are in a better place where no more hurt will come to you. I hope and pray your parents and love ones have the strength to carry on and don’t consider revenge. U will be remembered.
Crimes are getting out of proportion and innocent people are getting hurt. It seems that the GOB efforts are worthless. We need immediate effective action. Too many departments and committees are formed to combat crime and with no effect. We need an eradication campaign and the modus operandi of the ‘Shining Path’. GOB is not really inclined for its people. Instead of wasting time about this 9th amendment why not direct all efforts and resources in combating crime.
Truce didnt work. Let the GSU do their job. Rough them up.
PM should choose a place and time where these gangs should meet where no innocent people are and let them carry their weapons and let them kill each other. then let the GSU take our the winner and kill them too.
My Sincere Sympathy goes to this family. I know how this feels and I pray that God guide them through these times. Nothing can bring back that life and all we can do is accept that this person is gone and we’ll never see what this person would have become. Who knows, maybe the future Price. God Bless.
I just want to start by extending my sincere condolences to the family of Joshua especially to his mother and brother. I was deeply saddened to watch the news and see what our beautiful peaceful nation has become. It makes my heart hurt to see how these idiots are taking away the lives of innocent promising children that God has blessed this nation with. But I take refuge in knowing that my God is a just God. So mother I urge you to continue hold on to God, be strong and courageous in a very difficult time. If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. If he need prayers, pray for him. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. God will make a way where they seems to be no way.
Dean Barrow, I personally think that you made the wrong decision in meeting with these so called thugs who call themselves gangsters. (praying on innocent people) By meeting with them I think it was just a meeting to put an image out that the government is concerned. But
personally it was just a meeting with a whole set of gangster who it really doesn’t matter to.
I recommend you call a state of emergency and and ask for help to have law enforcement from out side come in and try to address this problem. This is really out of hand and I don’t think the police,BDF, Coast Guard or the Government and the Opposition is capable of handling. If we don’t get an external intervention we will be seeing much more of this in the near future. For years we’ve seen that as a people and a nation we cant seem to get the crime rate under control. It think its past time we ask for help.
I understand all your concerns here. I want to also look at different angle. This is one example of also where there could have been better parenting. Belize parents should learn from this. A 9year old is still a child; he should have been under parent supervision especially on a day like this. I know the parents don’t want to hear this right now but as Belizeans, we need to do a better job.
It is sad what happend to this 9 year old boy he was and inocent soul. the guy’s that are out there just shooting like there crazy should realize that they have family members too and wont what what happend to this boy happend to there family member and to the prime minister what will you do to stop all this that is happening in the city you cant just sit down and talk with only one gang what is our country coming to. these people doing these crime taking inocent peoples life needs to be executed………..
We are a country, a people, a democratic people, a people that stands out from others. Our dollar says it all. Why should we destroy the good that we have and make this country into this hell hole that we are living. We cant leave our home, we cant walk the street, we cant play with our neighbors, we cant even go shopping or try and do extra work on the side to make an honest income without the feeling of being rob or shot. Drug dealers and tugs have more rights than any one else. We cant see the prime minister but the prime Ministers goes to see them. Who then are they. Why is this being tolerated? Simply because they are so many in numbers and politicians needs there vote to win an election.
The killing has been going on forever, but as soon as they receive there moment of fame on television and made mentioned that they will vote out the PM, he immediately returned to Belize to hold meetings with them. Any member of society who publicly admits to been affiliated with gangs should be dealt with accordingly.
There is but only one answer to this nonsense. If though uses a weapon to kill then though shall be sentence to execution in the same manner publicly. Lets build a huge platform at memorial park and start hanging them publicly. Stop the drinking on the streets and the smoking of drugs on the street corner. Convicted murderers should be shot by at least 12 soldiers at once. Why take such huge taxes from our hard earn income to purchase food for these criminals in jail. Get rids of the thugs and make Belize a safer place to live for our kids in the future.
Lets fight for our freedom and take back Belize if the Government cant do $#!% then its time to replace them and give some one else a chance to do what they are being paid to do.
I am saddened by this and I beg the Government to examine the causes of gangs. I understand that there is 24 percent or more unemployment.The aklternative is tio be a gang member that is the fastest and most rewarding styklke of loving. Bring more industries,more jobs otherwise we are opening a pandor’s box eith this bogus tuece
I condemn thios cowardly heartless act done to an innocent child .Father have mercy and do that which is right since i have not the wisdom to judge.
i totally agree with the ppl that said that instead of having public consultations on the 9th Amendment that the government should be having these consultations on crime especially gang-related murders. I believe that the issue of crime is not top priority in Belize and it should have been for some time now. The government/politicians won’t make it a high priority because its something that they are all failing at. So its up to us as citizens to demand that its a priority not only when something like this happens(because 6 mths from now only Joshua’s family will still be thinking about him) but keep at it until its of highest priority!
I am the the aunt of Joshua Abraham. Joshua was not a typical nephew who would come and visit his grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, Joshua was born in our arms we are the ones who cared for all of his needs who showed him love, when he was sick, or cries. On that day September 21st, will never be a normal day for my family and the ones who loves Josh so much, the memory linger as i see my nephew on that death bed, as i see him in the morgue dressed in his uniform to be buried as i picture him waving at me smiling, those are the memories that i will never forget. My sister cries at night times, she cries when she irons CJ’s uniform realizing that Josh is no longer with us. Its not a question why he was alone on the streets that day, my sister never leaves her boys to roam the streets un-attended, Victoria Street is where my nephews practically was raised on, they’re no strangers to the community because they were love/d by the neighbors, or ask why he wasn’t with his mother? On a day like September 21st, its a ritual that my sister takes out her boys to see the uniform parade,but it was not suppose to happened that way, instead, my nephew went to see the parade spend a short time with me watching the parade and went along with his neighborhood friends. This is God’s way, God said that its time for little Josh to come with him in heaven, God appointed Josh’s time of death the day he was murdered. What pains us the most is the way he died by a merciless!, inhuman!, callous! GUN MAN!!!! God said revenge is mine and he will work his own way on the murderers, hate is not with in us, as my mom is the back bone of our family she holds the faith and strength of God and as what she always instill in us that the only way to true happiness is though our Saviour Jesus Christ. God has always been our strength, and this we shall pass!!
I am an 72 year old American who met Josh on a Mission Trip to Belize City in July, 2011. We worked and worshiped at Mirrih’s Ministry on Victoria Street. Our group of 19 teenagers and 8 adults worked and played with Suzette’s kids. We painted, brought in laptop computers, sewing machines, volleyball and soccer equipment. More importantly, we had fun with the kids playing sports and doing field trips. Josh was with us on every event and our group was deeply saddened by his death. He was a fun loving Christian who made friends with us as well as other who went to Mirrih’s Ministry.
I am not a stranger to Belize. I spent two years there as a Peace Corps Volunteer in 1962 and again in 2007 on a Peace Corps reunion. I taught at St. Micheals and St. Hildas; I spent time setting up the Northern Fishing Coop on Caye Caulker.
The people of Belize and Josh have a special place in my heart. My Josh rest in peace.