Email

Print

A child was reported as a missing person this morning by Corozal Police who issued a bulletin for 8 year old Chelsey Gentle. A week ago today, her biological mother 23 year old Kelanie Gillett took Chelsey from her adoptive mother, Lupita Bejerano’s home in Ranchito Village in the Corozal District. For some context, Bejerano adopted Chesley nearly 7 years ago. And so Kelanie was supposed to return Chelsey two days later but she didn’t and that is when Bejerano called the police. Kelanie Gillett was tracked down in Belize City this afternoon and Lupita Bejerano and her daughter rushed to Belize City to retrieve Chelsey. It should have been a happy reunion but it erupted into an all out custody battle on Queen Street and 7News was there.

Keith Swift Reporting,
It was an emotional scene late this evening at the Queen Street Police Station where 8 year old Chelsey Gentle was reunited with her adopted parents. But emotions turned to fury when Chesley’s biological mother Kelanie Gillett exited the station. Remember now - she had just surrendered Chelsey to Juanita Bejerano who is the child’s adopted mother.

Kelanie Gillett, Biological Mother
“This lady take away my pickney from out of my life and she doesn’t know how much my heart feels because she chance my pickney, slave my pickney. When she is here with me, you see how she looks, you see how my pickney looks neat and sensible? You see the size of this lady? She can’t take care of my pickney. She is unfit. She has pressure, she has sugar.”

Keith Swift,
“But that is no longer your daughter, she was taken away from you 7 years ago.”

Kelanie Gillett,
“Listen to this, I came back in my child life and I tried my best and these people are turning my kids against me. Keith Swift tomorrow you know something, I will go and deal with it the right way because the world doesn’t know out here what I am going through.”

Keith Swift,
“But this lady raised your daughter.”

Kelanie Gillett,
“You listen to me, you know what it is for seven years ago somebody hide your pickney away from you and you don’t know where she is.”

But they did go there and after Kelanie was carted away by police, Bejerano explained why she allowed Kelanie to take Chelsey for the weekend.

Lupita Bejerano, Adopted Mother
“I feel good. All we want is the care of that child. She could have gotten her or I could have gotten her but I have her because I think the mother is not the one who conceives. The mother is the one that minds and cares. Ask she if she knows what day her daughter lost her tooth. After six years she appeared in her daughter’s life. Ask her that. The lady from Human Development told me I should not put her near my house but Christianity and humanity and gave her a little right but the first chance, you see what she did. Tuesday was last week Tuesday and today is Tuesday again. And when we phone to her, they laugh after us.”

Keith Swift,
“Will you allow her to see Chelsey again?”

Lupita Bejerano,
“I don’t know because they tell me to get a restraining order and for her to stay far from where I am.”

Of course in the middle of all this adult uproar is a blameless 8 year old girl.

Kelanie Gillett says she planned to return Chelsey to Ranchito this week which would have been in time for school which reopens on Monday Janaury 11th. And in her defense, she was only 14 when she had Chelsey and at the time was unable to care for her. She is now 23 years old now and says she believes she is fit. She says she thanks Lupita Bejerano for her assistance over the last 7 years. Kelanie Gillett says that Chelsey is her only child. She will be researching her legal options. We will continue following the story.