Broken bottle used in Belize City stabbing

A brawl between two women last night ended in a stabbing and the weapon of choice was a broken glass bottle. According to police, the victim, Tanya Estrada was with two friends when she was attacked. The incident took place at the corner of Victoria Street and New Road and as I found out today, the act of violence could have easily ended in a fatality.

Tanya Estrada, Stabbing Victim
“Anybody weh sih this right now, they wah know I da noh wah troublesome person. I try not to fool with— I have my daughter fu live fah. I just mi the have wa lee bit ah fun with my friends they and she just do this to me. And da noh like somebody weh I have thing with previous time, nothing like that.”

Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
Twenty-two year old Tanya Estrada is lucky to be alive after she was stabbed five times with a broken bottle. It is believed that a combination of alcohol and jealousy led to the vicious attack just after eleven on Wednesday night.

Tanya Estrada
“It all began Miss Jackie, when we were drinking at the People’s Restaurant and Bar on North Front Street. She came in, she asked me for a Stout, cause it’s someone that I know everyday, day in and day out. So I gave her the Stout and me and my friends we just went by a car and hang out. Next thing I know, she came around and she ask me if I’m not good for another beer. So I was like, ‘me an my friends the heng out Stephie, you already get wa beer from me’. And then, I guess with the same pint bottle weh I bought for her, she just broke it. I mi walk weh from ah, and the first juk, I noh even realize I get this one. Then when I turn roun’, I just see she juk again, and then ih mi the approach my head and I just hold up my hand like that, and after that I noh even remember weh happen cause I passed out.”

“The most serious one I think is my hand and the one on my back. I got six stitches in my back, five up here and three in my hand.”

Estrada has identified her attacker as thirty year old Stephanie Decosta.
According to Estrada she still does not know why Decosta tried to kill her because they were not enemies.

Tanya Estarda
“But one thing I want seh Miss Jackie, people jealous yoh. Jealousy is a bad thing and they have people weh devious, they have people weh— and I noh understand they. Me an our family, we come outta the hole, we mek fu weself weh we deh right now. I mean, why people can’t do that fu themselves you know.”

Tonight Decosta is in police custody pending charges. Today Estrada was visited at the K.H.M.H. by Jennifer Decosta, the mother of the accused. The older Decosta apologized to the victim for her daughter.

Jacqueline Godwin
“No idea what would have caused your daughter to do this?”

Jennifer Decosta, Mother of accused
“She always frustrated, and I tell ah that, worry bout ih two pikney they. When ih deh weh part ih live, da my niece, my niece they cuss up ah and tell ah all kinda thing outta the way. And I tell ah try come outta da life. I feel bad fi watch the lee gyal pan the bed, really really feel bad cause ih could be my children to, my child.”

But as Beverly Flowers stood by her daughter’s bedside, she says she only wants justice.

Beverly Flowers, Mother of Stabbing Victim
“I want justice. I glad that they already hold ah and we wah do the best fu mek whatsoever fi happen, happen because I mean, hell, this is uncalled for.”

Up to news time no charges had been filed against Stephanie Decosta. Estrada, suffering from wounds to her chest, back and right arm, remains admitted to ward at the K.H.M.H. According to friends of the accused, Decosta reacted violently only because Estrada and her friends physically assaulted her.