Pregnant woman who lost her unborn during stabbing, speaks out
valerie sheran
Twenty-eight year old Valerie Sheran, an expecting mother who was stabbed multiple times by a jealous ex-boyfriend earlier this week, is tonight seeking justice for the death of her unborn baby. The incident took place at her residence on Neal Pen Road despite a restraining order against Sheran’s former boyfriend. Sheran was stabbed above the abdomen during a home invasion in the wee hours of Monday morning. She claims that her unborn daughter, who was fathered by Henry Patnett, ingested blood as a result. While an official death certificate indicates that the eight month old fetus died of premature causes, Sheran contends that the death was precipitated by the stab wound. Sheran spoke with News Five this afternoon and recounted the harrowing experience.
Valerie Sheran, Stabbing Victim
“I was sleeping. I didn’t hear anything. I don’t know how he got in the house but how I know he was in there because he flashed a light in my face. When he flashed the light I opened my eyes and I couldn’t believe it was him but when I opened my eyes I saw him. He dropped what he had in his hand and he start stab me. The first stab I get was in my breast. Okay, the second stab I get was on my belly where the baby was in my belly. The baby was due to [be] born next month and this is the stab that he gave to me here and this is the one that they had to operate on me so the baby can come out. When I feel the second stab I went [and] eased down on the bed because I know that I get stabbed and I feel weak. My guts was coming out through my belly. Why I take out the restraining order on him so that he won’t come around me again because everybody was saying that he said it won’t be because the first time when they charged him is for wounding. So the first time when I take out the restraining order they say, everyone was saying that he said it won’t be for wounding this time it will be for murder. But he didn’t murder me he murdered my baby.”
Isani Cayetano
“Can you speak to us a bit about the death certificate because you had mentioned earlier that what is stated on the certificate is that your baby died of premature causes but yet you’re saying that the baby may have died as a result of ingesting blood as a result of the stab wound you sustained the other night. Can you speak a bit more on that for us?”
Valerie Sheran
“I got the death certificate. It stated on it saying that my baby died prematurely but I know it’s not prematurely because the Wednesday before it happened the Monday I went to the clinic and everything was fine. We heard the heartbeat of the baby. The nurses said that the baby was alright. Every month I go to clinic and that certificate is saying that the baby died prematurely but after the surgery the doctor came to me and tell me when I was out of the anesthesia and everything doctor came to me and told me that the baby didn’t die from the stab wound on her feet. It died from the blood that he, that she drank from me in my stomach. So that is an obstruction to justice certificate. That is not correct.”
Sheran said that she has made an official report to Belize City police but was told that they cannot charge Patnett because the death certificate fails to indicate that the baby died as a result of the stabbing. Sheran’s family also contends that Patnett should additionally be charged for violating the terms of the restraining order. At news time tonight Patnett had not been charged.
this is horrible. what do the legal and ethical minds have say to this scenario. Section 313(2) was added to the Queensland criminal dode act in 1997. Any person who unlawfully assaults a female pregnant with a child and destroys the life of, or does grievous bodily harm to, or transmits a serious disease to, the child before its birth commits a crime.
This sickening. How can a monster get away with this? Again Belizean justice… it sucks
The entire system is corrupted even the people from the health department are a part of the equation.My Belizean people we need to start holding these people responsible.They’re getting payed by the Citizens tax dollars.
how pathetic….really……people have no heart anymore, they are going on ice…
You all know how things get down in BZE.LEAVE HIM ALONE for couplesof weeks and then do a bicycle ride by him it is called JUSTICE sorry it comes to this but it seem to work in certain cases.
WAIT a minute forget the baby what about the police charging him for stabbing the mother of the child?Belize is getting more and more tiresome i am thinkig i do not want my dog there now.
This makes no sense, a woman is stabbed, her baby dies as a result, that is murder. If it were not for the interference of the so called father of the baby stabbing this woman the fetus would possibly been born alive. Does he have to kill her before he is charged with murder. Wait a minute, maybe Bradley will get him off if he kills her next.
Only In Belize can a man do what he wants to a woman a get away free.What kind of laws they have going down there..he shouldhave been lock up an charge for murder.
This right here is sick…it also let us know that an unborn baby dont mean a damn thing to the CJS…a baby who did not get the chance to breathe the fresh air of Belize…how sad….and the father getting away with it not even charge? men here in the U.S, well the state where i live thats an automatically a felony…..i’m studying law and men sometimes i wish for seriousness of these of crimes that have been committed in Belize many times i wished some of these laws could apply to my beloved country so that these pitiful, mindless, evil people pay for their unethical and immoral crimes.
We are assuming that a real doctor did the autopsy & signed the death certificate. An eight month old fetus is viable & the doctor sounds like someone who bought his credentials talking to the idiots he assumes we are & who hired him. If the baby swallowed waste after the mother was stabbed & his/her system could not fight the infection, I cannot believe that that is not addressed in the statute.
A few years ago they prosecuted Ms Welcome for performing abortions on volunteers. Why is this man not being charged with performing an illegal abortion? Since it was done on an unwilling mother who intended to give birth & the baby died as a result of his actions, that adds the murder charge & no matter what we think of the mother, he caused her grave bodily harm & wounded her boyfriend.
Whose worthless child is this prick & is that the reason we have not seen his picture & the reason he is not in jail?
this is really horrific to read the death case of the unborn baby. mein, where are the doctors going with this stupidity, they left a child lately die of dengue but instead operate the child for appendix, mein this is insane. the hell is going on, channel 5 please post a question “do all belizean trust the doctors now at this stage of crime and neglecnce inteh hospitals?
First let me correct the person who stated that only in Belize a man can do what he wants to a woman aget away with it is totally ludicrous and show a great deal of ignorance about the world in which he live. There is no perfect law written by men; fro the very reason legislators are constantly trying to plug up loopholes in previous laws. The lay persn in Law as well as the medical proffesion want to make decision base on sentiment and raw emotions, whereas the technicians deal with technicalities of facts in their respective proffessions.
Many year ago in Belize a man was charged for causing the death of a child by burning down the house of his girls friend while her child was in the house. Lay person and the police thought it was an open an shut case, but not so. When the doctor was asked he could have confirmed beyond a reasonable doubt that the child died as a result of the fire, the response was a resounding no. When he was asked what would determind if the child actually died as a result of the fire? He said that is would show up in the heart of the decease; he was further asked if he had perform such test on the heart? The Lawyer for the defense then suggested that the child could have been dead before the fire?The doctor responded yes. The defense then said to the Chief Judge that his client had no charge to answer to base on the statement of the Doctor, and the Chief Judge had no choice but to release the accused.
This person who said that he is studying law need to read, and read many more more case history if he/she is indeed studying law. Because a good prosecutor or defense practioner must approach the proffession with very little raw emotion because that will not get conviction, and in the case of defense he will only be taking his client’s money just to make an empty show; as they would say: going through the motion.
come on belize police department ./…what do you mean you cant charge him with murder….? obviously the baby died due to the stress of being stabbed.and born early… …. hole officer you need new laws in belize..
Where are the FEMALE POLITICIANS???????? WHO IS STANDING UP FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS?????????????????
Once again only the woman shows her face. In Christ days, only the women was brought to be stoned to death because she was caught in adultry. No man is seen here again. They are the killers, thieves, women beaters, rapists, having kids all bout the places, lazy, greedy, weed smokers, romeos, drunkards and joining the Police Force. I’m so sorry for the women of our days. I’m a married man and I will never put a hand on my wife or any women. I love them so much. All you have to do men is treat women with respect and love them. Don’t hurt women. And for some women respect yourself and if you have a good man don’t cheat on him. Return all your love to him – cause sometimes the things that some women do to men is not nice either. But that does not justify hurting them. Men if your women is cheating on you, please go back to your Mom and relax. Mommy is ready to take you back. Woman if your man is cheating on you, pray, pray and pray. Respect to all men that respect themselves and their woman. And respect to all the descent, respectable women. Bring forth quality kids. Jah Bless to you all. Stay conscious BELIZE. All politicians are abusers of their Country People.
I truely don’t know what to say anymore about the criminal justice system in Belize.
I am not a Lawyer and I am certainly not a judge but this woman lost her unborn child because it ingested toxic fluids as a result of stab wounds inflicted on the mother………….and the Police CANNOT file ANY charges against the perpetrator of this heinous act???????
Now lets be honest with each other folks……… You still somewhat confused and lamenting about the escalating street justice taking place in the Land?????????
i don’t think people are understanding the wording of the death certificate. Indeed it is right to state that the child died prematurely. However, death certificates have a ladder type format and the mother did not state what was in the rest of the ladder. It does not mean to say that the child died before being stabbed. It states that the child died and as she was explained by the doctor, it was due to the stabbing of the uterus causing bleeding. Yes, it does show that the chlld was stabbed on the foot but that was not the killing blow to the child. I don’t think at any point in this article does it suggest that the person who did can easily go scott-free because of that.
@Earl – Its not even about female pols and women’s rights. Who are we if we do not protect the rights of all, women, children – and men too.
“A nation’s greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members” Mahatma Ghandi
We don’t need new laws, we just need persons who are willing to be the best they can at the work they do. What a sad indictment on all of us if this is just allowed to “go away”…
This happend to me once. But the DOCTOR stabbed me! He was jealouse of me having a cute little boy. All his wives’ babies died. He got private time. Then he said “May I check the heart beat?” I said yes. He lifted my top up then grabbed a buchers knife, then sliced my froat (cant spell), cut my navel open then stabbed just above!
My poor baby boy died because the stabb went through his little tummy. So sad.