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A 27-year-old man accused of carrying out two unprovoked assaults in Belize City on Friday, December 19. In one of the incidents, a 69-year-old woman, who happens to be the mother of a senior magistrate, was seriously injured. The man caught on camera has been remanded to the Belize Central Prison pending a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation, as concerns mount over his mental state. Kareem Anderson, also known as “Blacker,” is the man in the footage of both incidents. He was taken before the Belize City Magistrate’s Court this morning, but his arraignment was halted after the Chief Magistrate determined that Anderson was not fit to enter a plea at this time. As a result, no charges were formally read to him. Police say Anderson is accused of committing common assault against sanitation worker, 39-year-old, Kendra Hamilton, and harm against 69-year-old, Barbara Austin, the mother of a senior magistrate. It is a detail that has added public sensitivity to the case, though authorities have stressed that the matter is being handled strictly in accordance with the law and established judicial procedures. The alleged assaults occurred separately, one on Orange Street and the other on West Collet Canal. The footage of the assaults has been widely circulated that shows clearly that both incidents were unprovoked and unwarranted. In the attack of the elderly woman, she reportedly lost consciousness after falling and hitting her head on the pavement, while Hamilton was knocked to the ground but later recovered. Inside the courtroom, the Chief Magistrate questioned Anderson’s stepfather regarding his mental health history and care. The court was told that Anderson has not had a formal psychiatric diagnosis on record, though relatives say his behavior changed significantly following the death of his father about eight years ago. Based on the information presented, the court ordered a full psychiatric evaluation and sent Anderson to prison until March 26, 2026, pending the outcome. Outside the courthouse, Anderson’s stepfather, Sheldon Dennison, expressed concern for his mental wellbeing while acknowledging the seriousness of the allegations.
Anderson’s sister, Monique Dennison, said her brother had never displayed violent behavior in the past and urged the public not to rush to judgment. She acknowledged that what occurred was wrong but stressed that he needs medical help rather than condemnation, adding that the person seen in the videos does not reflect the brother she has known. As a matter of fact, she told the Court Reporter that the family had taken him to the Port Loyola clinic, but he was dismissed and not tested properly.
Monique Dennison, Sister of Kareem Anderson: “He was a nice person. He was sweet, loving and his dad passed away when he was 19. That sent him into a depression and after that like he didn’t want to bathe or anything like that so before his dad passed away he had gone through a little situation and they said that they would hurt him. So we guess the person hurt him. A couple months after my mom took him to the clinic on Fabers Road that was the Port Loyola Clinic where they took the mental people so when she took him there she just left him there. When she let him there they didn’t run any kind of tests or anything on this young man to see if what was the cause of the problem why he was like that and why he was down and whatnot and they just gave him an injection and from the moment he got that injection that just messed him up. He started doing jumping jacks, he started doing pushups and stuff like that. So to be honest whoever knows my brother knows he was a nice person.”
His stepfather echoed those sentiments, telling reporters that Anderson has struggled for years and that the family has tried to care for him without adequate professional support. He said the family hopes the psychiatric evaluation will bring clarity and lead to appropriate treatment. From the investigation standpoint, ASP Stacy Smith, explains the detention of Anderson and the way forward.
Stacy Smith, Assistant Superintendent of Police: “Police have formally arrested and charged 29-year-old Kadeem Anderson of Belize City for two counts of harm in relation to two separate incidents that occurred on 19 December 2025. In these incidents, which have since made their wave on social media, Anderson is reported to have assaulted two unsuspecting females by punching them, causing them to fall on the street. Mr. Anderson was detained and today he was taken before the Magistrate Court in Belize City, where no plea was taken from him in relation to the offense charge. He was remanded to the Belize Central Prison where he is expected to return at a later date pending a psychiatric evaluation.”
Police have confirmed that Anderson remains heavily restrained while in custody for security reasons. Investigations into the assaults continue, and authorities say the results of the psychiatric evaluation will guide how the matter proceeds through the courts.
English (US) ·