Mother and Son Killed in San Felipe Arson Attack Linked to Domestic Abuse

Yesterday, we first aired the story of a mother, Angie Briceno, 34, and her baby boy, six-year-old Tishann Godoy, who perished in a house fire at around 2 am in the village of San Felipe, Orange Walk. Investigation indicates that Francis Godoy, ex common-law husband of Briceno, forcefully made his way into the house while her daughter Shadia, son Tashann, common-law husband Miguel Novelo, and herself was still sleeping. After Godoy made his way into the house, he then doused the house with gasoline and set it on fire. Both Shadia and Novelo managed to escape the fire; however, Shadia received some 80% of first- and second-degree burns, including to her face. The situation alleges that Briceno was in an abusive relationship with Godoy and that he was known to be hostile. We spoke with George Briceno, Angie’s older brother, over the phone regarding her relationship with Godoy.

George Briceno, Brother of Angie Briceno: “What I have to say is that uh my sister was running through a rough life. Well, at first, they started together, but he used to  have a strong attitude, like rough, like always vexed, right?  Always mad and then used to have a hate to my bigger niece to Shadia. Okay. He didn’t hang with her together. There was  always a conflict between them, right?  And how my sister is the mother of her, she was always trying to  make both happy,  Okay. Make both feel comfortable, but that couldn’t be possible.”

Francis Briceno was later captured some hundred feet away from the crime scene with visible burn injuries to his body. He was held by some hunters who arrived sometime before 3 am until he was taken by the Belize Police Department. Godoy was treated and released from the hospital but remains in custody.