School mourns accident victim, Elisha Gilharry
elisha gilharry
In our newscast on Friday we reported that four year old Elisha Gilharry was knocked down and killed. The driver of the vehicle, Lyle Harris, had just turned into North Front Street when he hit Elisha who was crossing the street to meet her father at a barber shop. It’s has been a difficult time for the Gilharry family as they come to terms with the death of the young child. News Five’s Marion Ali spoke to the principal of the school where she had just enrolled.
Marion Ali, Reporting
joseph gilharry sr
These little ones in the second year of pre school at Central Christian School in Belize City are without a classmate today as they sing a song they had all just learned during the first three days of classes.
Four year old Elisha Gilharry’s first and last days of school were Thursday and Friday. She was knocked down and killed on Friday afternoon not far from her father’s work on North Front Street.
The single parent, Joseph Gilharry Senior, told News Five today that the incident will remain fresh forever because it happened right in front of him and Elisha’s brother, seven year old Joseph Gilharry Junior.
joseph gilharry jr
Joseph Gilharry Sr., Father of accident victim
“Mi lee son see it and all, you know? He see it, watch ih lee sista, watch ih mama get it. Dat dah fu wee mama, dah mama wi call ah. Ih she daddy mi teacher teach mi something new today. Soh ih bring up the song and ih she – I ask ah “Mama weh teacher teach yoh?” Ih seh, “Twinkle Twinkle little star” Dah di last thing ih start sing to me and my lee daughter eena di prom cause three of us was together. The last word I hear outta ih mouth, the last thing I ever hear. And ih stay eena mi head, ih noh come out ih noh come out.”
Marion Ali
“And it happened right after that?”
Joseph Gilharry Sr.
“Right after it, as ih she it ih happen.”
Even though she was fresh in school, Principal of Central Christian School, Jermaine Crawford, says little Elisha was no stranger to Central Christian.
Jermaine Crawford, Principal, Central Christian School
jermaine crawford
“When Joseph Senior came to register his son, Joseph Junior, Elisha was just a little baby, like six; seven months in his arms and I can honestly say that he tried his best in raising. We’ve actually seen Elisha from two, three months after birth, six months, seven months, coming to school up and down. Now it was her turn to actually come to school and be enrolled in the school, which only lasted a couple of days.”
It’s always difficult to report incidents like these, but there is one silver lining, that is in reminding drivers to be ever so careful on the road. We do it through the words of Elisha’s Principal, Jermaine Crawford.
Jermaine Crawford
“As a driver you might think it’s somebody else’s fault, but being a pedestrian myself, I myself, I walk, I ride, I drive. So when I drive I try to be – you have to think for the other person. So all I can ask or appeal to the other driver, please take your time. Yes, there are children on the street. Yes, children probably do things that shouldn’t be done but at the end of the day we cannot blame anybody. So as a driver we need to take our time.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Marion Ali.
Joseph Gilharry senior is asking the person responsible to help him give his daughter a dignified burial. He hopes to bury her on Wednesday of this week.
Lovely girl………………..RIP.
Again, no parent should have to bury their child but accidents happen & as parents it is our job to ensure our children’s safety.
A four year old needs adult supervision at all times & rather than vilify the driver, please remember that he did what many others have not;; stopped & made sure this child got to the hospital.
Mr. Gilharry, I know you are grieving right now & a funeral may not be in your budget but blaming the driver & claiming that he treated your child like a dog(another source) is unfair & untrue & demanding that he help pay for her funeral negates your responsibility. Don’t beat up on yourself but accept that you contributed to her demise, you may be a great single father but parents have the same obligation to their children, regardless of gender.
Mr. Gilharry is grieving right now. I don’t think he needs a lecture. He needs to go thru the stages of grieving.
Pedestrians have the right of way always. One of the first things I was taught when I began driving was that children–or anyone–can bolt out at any minute. The driver ought to take responsibility in his role.
Also Concerned, In Belize too many of us are not taking responsibility for anything that we do wrong.& i am tired of the attitude that everything is someone else’s fault but could be made better by giving them some money. Grieving or not, he lost the high ground when the story kept changing to fit his blame the driver mode.
As a driver, I expect other people on the road to do stupid stuff, I expect to see a child chase an animal or a ball, another driver to dart out in front of me. I was born & raised in the city & as an adult I dread crossing certain streets, as a parent, I would not allow my child to do it. Accidents happen!!
BZNinCALI I will have to agree with you, too many people in Belize do not accept blame for anything that goes wrong in their lives. However, in this case I think during his grieving I would imagine it is a coping mechanism. No parent would willingly say that due to their actions/decisions their child is dead. That would be too difficult.
I am really sorry that Mr Gilharry lost his very beautiful daughter due to poor judgement. The streets in Belize are just what it was even 10-15 years ago. It is far to busy to expect a four year old to successfully negotiate traffic. He made a mistake and paid a very heavy price. We are all guilty of making poorly thought out decisions, but for the grace of God we haven’t experienced such grave consequences. RIP Elisha!
Mein give Gilharry one li break right now no even hint it is his fault he has that image in his mind as yet. You or I or anyone can go thru this and I also bet you he did not want his daughter ran over and he did his best to procure that, please don’t rub salt in the open wound by hinting it was his fault. No Gilharry we know you never would have wanted your li baby gial to go thru this papi, but Father God will take care of her now and youwill see her again, do the best for your son and mayhap you may be blest with more children. I wish you that your lil angel rests in peace, and to all comentators I wish you peace and many blessings.
The MINISTRY OF TRANSPORTATION NEEDS TO…………
………………………….. put out some PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS TO EDUCATE DRIVERS AND PEDESTRIANS ON THE RULES OF THE road.
Never judge your neighbor till you have walked a mile in his shoes.
God be near 2 u an ur son.
thats my uncle and I never did see wow my prays go out to you