Forestry officer collapses and dies

Gumercindo Baeza

Last Sunday afternoon, personnel from the Special Patrol Unit, the Belize Defense Force and Forestry Department were on an operation at Maya Mountains Forest Reserve when a member of the team collapsed. Forty year old Gumercindo Baeza, a Forestry Officer in-charge of the Savannah Forest Station in Independence Village was walking when he fell and became comatose.  According to the official reports on the incident, while on the ground, Baeza started to bleed from his nose and mouth. At six pm, it became evident that Baeza had no signs of life.   His body was transported to the Independence Poly Clinic where he was pronounced dead. No signs of injury were observed on his body with the exception of blood on his nose and mouth.