A gruesome murder in Sittee River; a mother is raped and killed

Ana Foster

There was a gruesome murder overnight in the Stann Creek District. A woman from Sittee River in the south was sexually abused and then murdered. Ana Foster left her house on Thursday morning, but did not return home. This morning, her naked body was found under an orange tree off near the entrance to the village. Foster’s husband told News Five’s Isani Cayetano that Ana left home to visit her son who had returned to Dangriga from Caye Caulker.

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Isani Cayetano, Reporting

The grisly murder of forty-three-year-old Ana Foster, near the outskirts of Sittee River, is eerily reminiscent of a previous homicide in South Stann Creek involving another woman who was also remorselessly sexually assaulted.  Foster left her home in the village on Thursday en route to Dangriga where she was going to meet her son and daughter-in-law.  Sadly, she would not make it very far.  Her lifeless body was discovered in a citrus orchard by a search party shortly after eight o’clock this morning.  Herman Foster has been married to her for over twenty years.

Herman Foster, Husband of Deceased

“She was going to meet her son in Dangriga and his wife but when she took off I had no control of it.  I don’t know what happened.”

Isani Cayetano

“What were you told may have happened?”

Herman Foster

“I had a feeling that something bad would have happened.  I told her, “don’t go” but she said it is her son so she pulled out and I said no problem, go.”

Isani Cayetano

“And you were subsequently notified of this tragedy, the discovery of your wife.”

Herman Foster

“No. She usually ride out and go to her sisters in Silk Grass but after her son called me I started to think different.  Then I got concerned and then we made the villagers come in and we went on a search because they kept saying seven o’clock, eight o’clock and she wasn’t there.  I chartered a machine and we went to Santa Rosa, we went to Silk Grass and she was nowhere to be found.  This morning, I never did sleep last night, so this morning we went to search and this guy Alex Thompson went there and he said he found her.”

The nude body was found beneath an orange tree with what appeared to be numerous bruises to various parts.

Herman Foster

“I was told that she was raped and [is] dead because she was naked.”

Isani Cayetano

“Talk to me a bit about hiking in and out of Sittee River.”

Herman Foster

Herman Foster

“No she rode her bicycle, they have a place called Beef Master by Mr. Dunker and they have some Spanish people.  I told her leave the bike there first and go and meet your son, but she never did reach that destination. She never did.”

Grieving relatives and friends of the Fosters gathered outside the police station in Dangriga this morning; however, they have not been able to get any answers.  The investigation, they are told, is in its preliminary phase.

Herman Foster

“Ih hard on me also.  It’s hard on me also because I’ve never had a loss like this before.”

Isani Cayetano

“What do you suspect may have happened sir?  You’ve said to me that you believe she was raped and murdered.  Do you believe this may have been an incident where she was lured to her death or someone may have abducted her?  What do you personally think or believe may have happened?”

Herman Foster

“To my belief they met her on the road going and they took chance of her, but I have no clue. I can’t put a point to it so far but I do know that they raped her and killed her.”

Residents of the quiet community are outraged that such a heinous act would be carried out within their community.  According to Foster, this is the second crime of this nature to occur in Sittee River.

Herman Foster

“They are shocked because this is the second offence that takes place in Sittee River like that. I never thought it was gonna come to me. I sympathized with the guy for the lady that got that same death. Never know that it was gonna be on my terms and in my phase.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.

Up to news time, police have no suspects in this case.