Succotz resident dies after being beaten on San Pedro
Emerito Itza
Last Wednesday, Emerito Itza, a former teacher and B.D.F. soldier from Succotz was attacked on the beach in San Pedro where he had moved to earn a living. The paper trail shows that Itza was checked by a doctor in the island and released. It was not until fifteen hours later that he was brought to the KHMH for treatment. According to his wife, Janet Noralez, by that time he was brain dead and this morning he succumbed to the head injuries. The father of four was with a friend when they were attacked by a group of men and beaten with sticks and rocks. News Five’s Delahnie Bain reports.
Delahnie Bain, Reporting
Forty-five year old Emerito Itza has died after being brutally beaten on the beach in San Pedro last Wednesday night. Itza, who is from Succotz, was working at Coco Beach resort on the island and police could not locate his family until Thursday afternoon.
Janet Noralez, Common-Law-Wife of Emerito Itza
“I mi know the thing until Thursday, four o’clock dehn get contact with me bout weh di happen wid somebody named Emerito Itza. Dehn give me a phone number fi call Otto Rodriguez at the clinic dah San Pedro. So I call, get in touch with di doctor. He tell me he get somebody Wednesday, eight-thirty dah night weh name Emerito Itza. He reached before police to the scenes to see the body and den afta dat ih tell me he done mek everything fi mek he reach to Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Thursday, one o’clock. He mi deh pan fifty-fifty; fifty fi survive and fifty fi die because when he reached, he reached [brain] dead, only di heart mi di beat. Afta dat I tell my brother in law, I noh wah stay yah. He can’t talk, he can’t si mi; I gwein straight to San Pedro, I want know weh happen. Den I gone to water taxi, buy mi ticket round trip to know weh di happen. When I reach to police station, I asked dem weh di happen wid di man weh unnu pickup, Emerito Itza. Dehn tell me dehn noh arrest nobody because dehn have wah name but dehn can’t arrest dah person because dehn need somebody fi seh yes, I si dah guy and dis and dat but dehn noh have nobody.”
His common-law-wife, Janet Noralez, is not happy about what she found out in her own investigation in San Pedro. It turns out, that even though he had severe head injuries; Itza was treated and released from the San Pedro Polyclinic. He was found unconscious in his room the following day when police went to get a statement from him.
Janet Noralez
“The next day di police seh les go check di guy, maybe he done get up fi give di statement and when he gone dah ih room, di body like… you know. Afta dat, he call di doctor weh tend to him before that day and call ah back and everything and mek di doctor fix di thing fi fly ah out. But di thing is, di thing happened Wednesday night eight-thirty, why dehn noh try to call di rescue or ker ah dah hospital. Dat is negligence; fifteen hours without medical. Why he ker ah in di room? Wah police seh how di doctor mi want mek wah police ker ah dah police station and have ah eena di cell. But police seh no because dehn can’t. I call di police and ask di police who ker ah dah ih room. I ask unnu or the doctor and he noh give me no answer.”
Janet Noralez
Itza passed away shortly before four o’clock this morning and Noralez says she won’t let the case slip off the police radar.
Janet Noralez
“I noh wah leave it to the police; I want mek di police move, do dehn job. Dehn need fi hold somebody. Dehn seh he mi deh wid wah friend. Marvin Lizama and he live dah St. Matthews. He done give statement; he seh how he and Merito mi di drink together and den dehn guys come wid stone and wood and everything den he si Emerito drop. Den police seh dehn gone to he and he noh remember nothing, ih seh. But police tell me today when ih call me, ih seh he noh know dem but if he si dem ih wah know.”
The reason for the attack is also unknown, but Noralez maintains that he didn’t have to die if it wasn’t for the negligence of the healthcare personnel.
Janet Noralez
“Dah Negligence and he is a good guy. He mi used to be teacher, he mi work yah, he mi used to be soldier. He’s not like sprang head or red top head like di police tell me, ma’am if you noh have money yah dah Caye, you die. I have four children; the oldest sixteen years, the youngest six years and he used to be a good father. Now dehn noh wah have no father again because the thing is, dehn treat ah like nobody.”
Itza’s body will be transported to Succotz on Wednesday. Delahnie Bain for News Five.
No one has been arrested for Itza’s murder.
Let’s put the primary blame where it belongs, on the men who smashed his skull with lumber. They must be caught and killed — by hanging, if possible, but by any means necessary.
The cay is not so big, there must be people there who know who is guilty. Let them drop the word who did it so the guilty can be taken care of, either by police or the community.
Second is the incredible question how the poor man would be released home with a fatal head injury! Is it an error by the doctor or simply lack of adequate modern equipment to identify the real extent of the injury? I don’t know whether the clinic even has an x-ray machine, which is old technology and not too expensive. Clearly our next GOB — this one has demonstrated many times it is so worthless we can expect nothing from it — needs to find some generous international group to give us adequate medical equipment for our various regions, so people don’t die needlessly for want of equipment before they can be transported to KHMH.
I hope there is at least on news reporter in the Jewel who will pursue these questions to a real answer.
GOB gets into lots of expensive activities that are no legitimate business of a government — paying gangsters to murder less often is only one, using public money to give to favorite “charities” is another. But I think supporting the health care of the people is one of the few legitimate activities.
Why won’t GOB scour through its hidden funds and slush funds and find the money necessary to equip EACH region with modern diagnostic equipment, like x-ray, CAT scan, and MRI machines? Those machines can save lives; ask any doctor if they would help him. If this poor victim had been properly diagnosed, there’s some likelihood he would still be alive.
Every Belizean family can benefit sooner or later from having medical clinics and hospitals equipped with modern equipment. That goal is worthy of public protests.
No one will say anything because more than likely its San Pedranos who did this…its sad to see the extent of violence in our small island…There are people who know who did this…the question is, how do we get them to talk???
san pedro again what a shame once upon a time the best place to live and visit now it has turned into a gay murderous place almost as bad as belize city crime and corruption every where it is sad to see the once proud isla bonita now turned into la isla feya desgraciada.
Another sad situation which shows the total disregard for human life. Storm I agree with you these murderers has to be dealt with in a more harsh manner. If they knew it was possible to loose their own life, they would think first. This crime wave on the island will certainly reach international news and guess what, tourists will begin to stay away, and then there goes the economy on the island.
I see gross incompetence on the doctors part, and then again maybe he just does not have the proper equipment; however, by simply looking into the persons eye with the light the doctor can see if there is bleeding taking place. If this man was hit over the head, he had to have been disoriented, must have been bleeding from his nose and mouth, and the vessels in his eyes would show bleeding occuring behind the cornea I have no medical traiining, but I read a lot, and my son played professional football, and I have read his information on how to detect and determine if there is concusion and bleeding in the head. This person who calls himself a doctor either bought his diploma or is just plain incompetent, and then this was probably too complicated for him to handle.
Nothing but a total change will do for this country, there is sooooo much that needs to be fixed, but the incompetent ministers over these departments in government is clueless in what to do.
WELCOME TO BELIZE: Beautiful country; beautiful people; Wonderful beaches…and THEN YOU ARE KILLED!
and the list goes on and on
To Blame someone is just a scapegoat. There were 2 men beaten over 1 week ago.. But these men were known Island bums. One survived and the other was sent to KMH on the first possible flight out again over 1 week ago. He died 1 week later.The island knows who did this mischievous but deadly act of violence, as it was a group of kids around 8:30 PM last week.. When the police were called to the scene they in turn called the Doctor on call. It is unfortunate but here in San Pedro we are not set up for real hard core emergencies via air lift . First of all you need to pay Tropic or find the coast guard . The coast Gaurd could not travel as well tropic air due to dangerous stormy weather that night. Both injured beach bums were checked by both the police and the doctors early the next morning where Mr Itza was transported to KMH ,almost a week ago.Yes there is an urgent need for upgrading of Hmedical emergencies. At least we have a quasi emergency Poly Clinic that tries to stabilize the patient as much as possible . If these emergencies happen after hours you are in the fate of gods hands.
Yes much needed MRI and CAT scan are needed as well as air evacuation means, but you’re asking for over $500,000 USD in just those equipments alone. These doctors are qualified , dedicated and do their best with their minimal emergency equipment, no matter if you’re a degenerate of society or not. AND I Repeat…All are treated as best as possible.
I’ve lived here for over 20 years and the medical means have come a long way . So please do not put blame on anyone or discredit our proffesionals on the island . Blame the murders.
This is the thing wrong with wats happening on our lil Island and i so hate it I am not blaming anyone because i want it my manner of speaking n i am speaking from the heart…. I blame the stupid @$$ murderer YES big time don’t take what u don’t give LIFE…but there cum responsibility for the police n doctor of this island come on 15 hrs bs no justification from the time you saw that body even jus by a doctor looking at him you could of said he was in a critical condition don’t let the police bring there bs about an say doctor said he was ok so they took him home either they rap the guy in a white sheet what white sheet symbolize for these police DEATH they already know what was going on the guy could even walk or move they will back the man ka i ka even walk an put a pan i bed lifeless ka i neva look like i could move YAH now as thing like dem ya happen i bet people hurry fi say ya Aiii dem ya …… YAH now i wa people talk an say if da mi d ….. now you know why dem no wa talk round da area lone SAN PEDRANOS live dem no wa talk pan dem own people now this poor man death gwen right so ka da some san pedranos young man weh live round the area beat ahhh … people i no got nothing gainst san pedranos no get mi wrong but its a life if unu mi c da wa black man unu mi wa big up da station with da who now i wah unu be fair an do the same thing fi this man….R.I.P mista even though me no know u…REAL TALKS HURTS but da tru out ya if da no police d do the murda da fighting aiii majority a time police doh ka dem chancy bad…..
Being a doctor is sometimes a curse…you get no recognition for the lives you save but you are crucified for the ones you cant help. The San Pedro Clinic (not Hospital) is ill equipped and does not have the basic equipment to perform emergency diagnosis or treatment. If you want to blame someone, blame the guys who beat this person half to death – not the Doctor who found the guy and took him to the hospital to try and treat him as best as the equipment would allow. Trying to get someone out of San Pedro in the night on an emergency medical trip is almost impossible even when you have the money to pay for it, much less when you are broke. If we keep waiting for the Government or Minister to make the changes nothing will ever happen. Maybe instead of criticizing the Doctors (who will probably have to take care of you one of these days) the San Pedro Community should unite and try to acquire the necessary equipment for the Clinic. Does the clinic even have the facilities to keep patients overnight? Where would they have put the guy if the admitted him? Would Al who commented above have loaned them his boat to get the guy off the island that night? Its easy to criticize when you don’t have all the facts!!!