Inmate Dale Flowers makes a failed attempt to escape central prison

An inmate, Dale Flowers, at the Belize Central Prison attempted to escape from the facility this afternoon.  Information remains limited, but prison authorities confirmed that the inmate was intercepted before he could scale the fence. He was subsequently taken to the prison’s medical centre for treatment. The extent of his injuries and the circumstances under which they were sustained have not yet been disclosed.  Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Belize Central Prison, Francis Woods, spoke with Love News about the incident and the response by prison personnel.

Francis Woods, Acting CEO, Kolbe Foundation: “Around 4:20 there was an attempted escape. Inmate Dale Flowers attempted the scale the fence. He wasn’t able to reach the fence of the prison and some warning shots were fired and he was quickly recaptured and put back in. He was brought to the medical department to check to see if there were any injuries. But it was very fast, very quick. Recapture was very quick and all is okay.”

Reporter: Did he receive any injuries ? 

Francis Woods, Acting CEO, Kolbe Foundation: “Minor scratches and bruises.”

Reporter: Are you at liberty or do you have the information to say whether he is a convict or he is on remand, what is his status ?

Francis Woods, Acting CEO, Kolbe Foundation:  “Yeah he’s definitely convicted. He was in the special housing unit which is more of a sanctioned area.”

Reporter: Is there a protocol where the prison notifies the family or is it just it’s handled just internally. 

Francis Woods, Acting CEO, Kolbe Foundation:  “Definitely the family would be informed. But most of this is handled internally.”

The latest incident comes almost one year after another inmate tried to escape from the prison on August 12, 2025. In that case, Nyrere Parchue was shot and seriously injured after reportedly ignoring repeated warnings and attempting to scale the perimeter fence. Love News reported that he was intercepted before leaving the compound.  The prison’s last major successful breakout occurred on October 12, 2020, when twenty-eight inmates breached the facility’s perimeter after overpowering officers and taking guards hostage. It remains the largest prison escape in Belize’s history. Most of the escapees were subsequently recaptured, while one was killed during the manhunt./