Family Suspect Foul Play in Guinea Grass Drowning

Faustino Camara

Police are investigating an Easter Sunday drowning in Guinea Grass village. Fidencio Camara discovered the lifeless body of his fifty-eight-year- old brother, Faustino Camara, floating near the bank of the New River in that community. Police does not suspect foul play and have initially ruled the incident as a case of drowning. But, Fidencio suspects that his brother was killed. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.

ASP Fitzroy Yearwood

ASP Fitzroy Yearwood, Communications Director, Belize Police Department

“About ten forty five a.m. police visited a scene near the river in Guinea Grass Village where they saw the lifeless body for Faustino Camara, fifty eight years. Camara was found in the river by his brother who reported that he was at their residence on Sunday and left their about two p.m., apparently under the influence of alcohol and was not seen until he discovered his body in that river. There were no physical injuries observed, no physical injuries to the body.”

Paul Lopez, Reporting

But Fidencio Camara, the brother of the drowning victim, suspects that his brother’s death may be linked to an altercation that transpired at their home earlier that day.

Fidencio Camara

Fidencio Camara, Brother of Deceased

“That Sunday my nephew came here drunk. He sick, like Down syndrome. He was drunk and he come and stays in my mom sofa. His brother come and starts to punch him. I tell him no, you can’t hurt my nephew like that. Now, my brothers interfere, my deceased brother. He says, you can’t beat your brother like that. I jumped because I was sober. I tell him no, you can’t beat my nephew like that and he want beat my brother. I tell him, no, you can’t beat my brother like that. I jumped and he relaxed and he went to put his brother in the pickup and start to beat my nephew. Now, he gone, but before he gone he tells my brother, you will pay what you did you know, because you make my brother drunk.  But, my brother never tell me he drunk with me. My brother like drink you know.”

According to Fidencio Camara, he saw his brother make his way to the nearby river, following the altercation.

Fidencio Camara

“I see he walk like about two fifteen. About half hour my mom says, go and see your brother, I think he is drunk. I jump on my bike and look for my brother all over Guinea Grass. I never find him. I stay about one o’clock in the morning looking for my brother. I never find my brother. I said mom I went to sleep because I didn’t find my brother. The next day, about five o’clock I went to look for my brother. Like somebody tells me he is in the river bank. I jump to my bike and went to the river when I see my brother floating.”

Fidencio says he found his brother floating near the edge of the river fully dressed. He asserts that, as a fisherman, his brother would not enter the water fully clothed.

Fidencio Camara

“He dah wah fisherman. All his life he dah wah fisherman. You can’t die eena clothes to the edge of the river.”

Paul Lopez

“You find anything missing from you brother? Maybe money or anything?”

FidencioCamara

“No, he have all his money scattered, his wallet, his lighter, coin, scattered, cause he liked weed right. He had weed on his side. But, my brother died like he was fighting for his life, like holding some sand. Like he want come out, like somebody grabbed him from the head and drown my brother. I just want know about that.”

Faustino’s body was transported to the Northern Regional Hospital where it now awaits a postmortem. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.