Dangriga woman missing since November

There’s hardly a week that goes by without our receiving at least one missing person report, either from the police, a distraught family or both. Usually the missing person turns out to be a rebellious teenager or a wayward spouse…who is soon reunited–or at least located–by relieved relatives. But the story we bring you tonight is not a typical one. We believe that somewhere within the reach of this broadcast is an elderly woman who may not even be aware that her family is desperate to know where she is.

It has been almost three months since the Buddan family of Dangriga has seen or heard from their mother and grandmother, Enid Buddan. On November twenty third, the seventy four year old woman left the house to go on one of her daily walks up the street. She may as well have walked to the moon.

Debbie Williams, Granddaughter

“We really would like to know where she is and if anybody do have some idea or clue about her whereabouts, we would really like somebody to come up and say so.”

This is the house where the family last saw Miss Enid Buddan. According to her granddaughter, Debbie Williams, she does not know what time her grandmother left the house, but when she awoke, Miss Buddan was not in her bed.

Debbie Williams

“My kids got up before me in the morning. From where my room door is, I can see straight to my grandmother?s bed. That morning the door was open. I ask my daughter about my grandmother and she said she is not in the room. But you know being on a Sunday, it?s church time, I would have figured probably she went to church.”

Williams says because her grandmother took daily walks, she did not think too much about her absence until later that Sunday afternoon, when Miss Buddan had still not returned.

Debbie Williams

“I decided to get ready and go look for her and since that day I haven’t seen her.”

All that’s left behind are a few of Granny Buddan’s prized possessions, neatly folded and hanging in her closet.

Debbie Williams

“This is my grandmother room and this is her bed.”

J.W.

“Directly across from your bedroom.”

Debbie Williams

“Yes and this is her stuff. Well what’s left because, well a few of her clothing, these are some of her clothing here, these and some of her things. These are what I said, she didn’t use, these are regularly used. These are wigs, she puts them on. This is what she wears in the house. These and other ones, somewhere around. You know these are her head ties, whenever she is not wearing a wig, she is using these and they are all here.”

Even Miss Buddan’s favorite jacket was left behind. A jacket her family says granny would never dream of abandoning.

Jacqueline Woods

So what could have happened to her? Foul play seems unlikely, as who would want to harm a seventy four year old woman? Suicide is a remote possibility but then where’s the body? It?s questions like these that are baffling family members from as far away as California.

Ruby Golden, Daughter

“I felt that I needed to come home, and see whatever I can do. It?s really, really important for us to know where my mother is.”

Ruby Golden is one of Enid Buddan’s eight children. The last time she saw her mother was on one of her regular visits in June of 1997. At that time, Golden says, Buddan was in good spirits and doing well.

Ruby Golden

“At this point, we are extremely concerned. Since this happen from the twenty third of November. I don’t understand that people just disappear off the face of this country, or anywhere. Whether my mother is alive or dead, I would certainly like to know what has happened.”

But it?s not only the Buddan’s family and friends who have been looking for the elderly woman. Since Enid Buddan was first reported missing, the Dangriga Police have been searching as well.

ASP Allen Whylie, Head of Dangriga Police Station

“We have forwarded all information messages to all the different police formations. We have had a photograph of Miss Buddan, however, it’s not a close up. However, we have been in contact with the family to get a better photograph in order to have missing posters prepared countrywide.”

Assistant Superintendent of Police Allen Whylie says the delay in locating Miss Enid Buddan is because information has been slow in coming.

Jacqueline Woods

The last information the police received indicates that Miss Buddan was seen in Belize City on Albert Street. But because that report was several weeks late, the family and authorities believe the grandmother may have moved on to somewhere else.

The longer it takes to find Miss Buddan, the more her health is being put at risk. A few years ago Miss Buddan was diagnosed with Alzheimer?s disease. Since then she has been on medication, which she should receive by injection every month.

Debbie Williams

“She has to have her medication in order for her to have at least a bit of steady head, you know. She doesn’t function like us at all times, you know. Even though she has the medication, there is a bit of tripping off an on at times. She has to have her medication.”

While the family does not know what clothes Buddan was wearing the day she left, Williams says her grandmother, who is gray haired, five feet, four inches in height and weighs about one hundred and ten pounds, does have two distinctive habits, that make her easily identified.

Debbie Williams

“She likes to clap her hands. She likes to wave, she likes to do this, waving vehicles whenever she sees a vehicle passing. She likes to wave vehicles and so on. Most likely those are the two things she likes doing.”

But as the weeks go by with no word of Enid Buddan’s whereabouts all that is left for her family to do is hope and pray that their mother and grandmother is safe and may soon find her way back home.

If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of Enid Buddan please call the nearest police station, Channel Five or the Buddan family at 0-5-2-3-5-3-2 or 0-2-3-1-9-4-9. Ruby Golden is offering a thousand dollars reward to anyone who has information which results in locating her mother.