Toddler Drowns in Well in Santa Cruz Village

Joseph Myvett

Three-year-old Oscar Bonilla drowned when he fell into a well in Santa Cruz Village over the weekend.  The toddler was last seen playing with another child when his mother went outside to the kitchen.  When she returned moments later, she could not locate the infant and went in search of him.  Sadly, he was found motionless inside the shaft.  Assistant Commissioner of Police Joseph Myvett provided details of the drowning.

ACP Joseph Myvett, Head, National Crimes Investigation Branch

“There are two other items, being a drowning in Santa Cruz Village in the Stann Creek District where on Saturday, sometime after one p.m., Independence police were called to an area in Santa Cruz Village whereupon arrival they visited the home of one Alma Bonilla who reported to them that sometime shortly after midday while she was in her outside kitchen cooking, she had left her three-year-old son along with another child, two and a half years old, playing inside the home and shortly before one p.m., when she went searching for her child, he was not found and upon searching the yard the child was found in a well which was dug inside the yard which was filled with water.  As a result, with the assistance of neighbours the child was removed from the well and he was motionless at the time.  He was then transported to the Independence Polyclinic where he was pronounced dead.  He is three-year-old Oscar Bonilla.”