Police Investigate Drowning Death of 13-Year-Old Boy in Valley of Peace

Police are investigating the drowning death of a 13-year-old boy following an incident on Sunday afternoon in Valley of Peace Village, Cayo District.  According to police, yesterday at approximately 2:22 p.m., authorities were informed of a possible drowning at a pond in the village. Officers responded and later learned that the victim, Magezi Miller, had been in the water searching for fish.  Briefing the media, Stacy Smith, Assistant Superintendent of Police, explained what transpired and the information police gathered at the scene.

Stacy Smith, Superintendent of Police: “The investigation has so far disclosed that the young Mr. Miller was reported to have been playing in a pond of water that is located on the family’s property and when the father called out to him he got no response. The father then made checks in the pond and that is when the young Mr. Miller was discovered. He was transported to the hospital for medical attention however efforts to resuscitate him did not prove successful. The body of Magezi Miller now awaits a post mortem examination.” 

Police say the child’s father, Douglas Miller, reported that after calling out to his son several times and getting no response, the boy was eventually found face down in the pond. Family members immediately transported him to the Western Regional Hospital, where police observed medical personnel attempting resuscitation.  Magezi Miller was also remembered for his involvement in music and culture. He was a member of the Panerrifix Steel Band in Belmopan. His music teacher, Edlin Lorenzo, who worked closely with the band spoke with Love News, lamenting the loss of a young and promising talent.

Edlin Lorenzo, Music Teacher: “He’s a very shy person, but he’s still lively in a sense. Because among his peers, among the other students in the band, he would always make jokes and so forth. It took a while for him to come out of the shell but  afterwards, he’d finally show his true colors. And he was a really great kid. He was mannerly, you know he’d give me the time of the day, never walked past me without saying “Hello Sir” and so forth you know ? He was a very talented kid, very great and mannerly. He will very much be missed. It’s very sad to see a young soul go. I still haven’t broken the news to my other students as yet but practice won’t be the same without him.”

Magezi Miller was pronounced dead at 3:23 p.m. yesterday.  The body remains at the hospital pending a post-mortem examination.