Mother freed of charges in child’s death

After three year old Omar Aguilar perished in flames last December, his mother, thirty year old Pauline McLean, was charged. But today McLean walked free out of Magistrates’ Court after the Director of Public Prosecutions, Cheryl-Lynn Branker-Taitt, ordered that the charge of Causing Death by Careless Conduct be withdrawn. The D.P.P. sited insufficient evidence as the reason for her directive. Omar was left at home with his older brother, nine year old Glenford Mclean, while their mother went to work at Belize Maintenance Limited. But Glenford went to the neighbour’s house to watch television and while Omar was alone sleeping, the house caught fire. A neighbour, Rudolf Conorquie, stomped open the door in an attempt to save Omar, but it was too late and the room was already engulfed in flames. The house was owned by Pharmacists Raymond Lashley.