Family Desperate to Find 13-Year-Old Girl

The family of 13-year-old Guatemalan student Lizzie Yamilet Suntecum is desperately trying to find her, after she went missing yesterday. Suntecum, a Standard 5 student at San Jose Roman Catholic School, lives in Melchor, but attends school in the village of San Jose Succotz, Cayo District.  The mother reached our newsroom last night indicating that the child left home yesterday morning to go to school.  All accounts are that she was in class in the morning, but after the lunch break, she didn’t return.  The school’s principal, Jenri Castanaza, says he was immediately concerned because he knows that Suntecum is one of the 60-plus students enrolled in the feeding program so she would have no reason to leave the compound.

Jenri Castanaza, Principal San Jose School: “I was informed by the classroom teacher Ms.Carina Chulin and she reported to me around 1:15 that Lizy Suntecum was not in class. We knew that it was something that we needed to act urgently because she usually she is in our school feeding program and she does not commute home for lunch. So we have a feeding program where we feed 60 students and she’s part of our feeding program. We noticed that she was missing the afternoon when we called attendance and we immediately contacted the parents and then the relevant authorities were informed thereafter. After investigating with one of her classmates we were told that apparently she planned to leave the school at midday and in the company of a relative according to the classroom it is believed that it was the aunt. However the mother told us that she does not have any relative in Belize. So these are all unconfirmed allegations. As a school we’re very concerned. We always advocate for the wellbeing of our students and student safety and it was unfortunate that she walked out of the school compound and went with these unidentified individuals. It’s the first time we are experiencing this as a school and we’re all very concerned and devastated with the news so we’re just hoping and praying that everything turns out for the best.” 

Love News also spoke with a relative, Maria Pop, who says the family has gotten reports that the child was picked up in a vehicle by a man and a woman. Pop confirmed that Suntecum has no other relatives in Belize, so the family is worried because they don’t know who could have picked her up.

Maria Pop, Relative: “There are people messaging us and telling us that she was seen in Corozal. And one person messaged us and told us that she actually saw her getting off at Western in the Belmopan Camelote area yesterday like around 1:30 with the same person that other place claims that she left with. So I believe my mom and my brother are heading to Camelote to try and see if they can get some video footage and then they will be heading to San Narcisco I think that’s the place to try to see if they can find her there because as far as we know she doesn’t have any relatives here in Belize apart from us. So we’re not sure who she’s in company with. She has never gone missing or anything like that. She’s not like the normal child would say that she would have a phone and get in contact with somebody like that. She doesn’t own a phone. So we were surprised to hear that she  that she gone missing yesterday.  The only thing that she did mention was that someone was going to pick her up like around midday but we are puzzled because we don’t know who that person was or if that person had been in contact before either by visiting her at school, we were not sure because then she would usually stay at school during the lunch time. So,  you know, she lives in Melchor and then they come and they have, they go to school here…well not here in Succotz so she would stay during the lunch hour at school. And then my brother would pick her up in the evenings and take her back home. So we’re not even sure what happened or who she is with company with. We just want to know that she’s okay and we can locate her and then after that probably the police will do their own investigation. But at this point, we need to know that she is safe and who she is with. We want to know who gave them permission to take her if she has no relatives here in Belize except for us.”

Love News understands that the school has over 300 students and 17 teachers, most of whom go off campus for lunch.  Anyone with information on the whereabouts of 13-year-old Lizzie Suntecum is urged to report it to police immediately. The family can also be contacted at 661-1456