7 News Belize

Police Knocked Down My Son!
posted (May 3, 2010)
And in Belize City, the news is bad but not as dire for a 9-year-old who was knocked down by police. The mother of 9-year-old Jamel Wade came to our studios today to report a traffic incident last Friday afternoon, which she claims left her son with head and body injuries. And she says a police vehicle is responsible.

Mother of Jamel Wade
"[They told me,] 'Paula, your son got hit by a police car.' I thought he was dead. So, I said, 'Stephanie, please take me to the Health Center', because they told me he was at the Health Center, right. I went to the Health Center and when I reached there, they told me that my son is in the next room at the back and I went to the back. When I got there, I saw my son lying on the bed, but he's awake, so I feel more relieved. And the officer was standing right there and I asked him what happened. He told me my son was crossing the street and my son said, 'No, I wasn't crossing the street. I was riding on the side,' he said, 'And you hit me from the back. I don't know what happened. When I woke up, I was lying on this bed.' That's what my son told me."

Jim McFadzean Reporting
" What injuries did you see on your son?"

Mother
" Well, he has a big bump on his head. And a swelling on the cheekbone. A scratch on the shoulder and the leg is bruised. And the legs and the bottom of his feet and on his hand, right here (pointing.)"

Jim McFadzean,
" What is your biggest concern right now?"

Mother
" Well, my biggest concern, the officer that knock down my son, I want him to pay the bills. Pay my son's bills. I need my bike back. I haven't seen the bike since then. I don't know where the bike is. And I want him to pay all expenses for my son."

Wade says she intends on pursuing legal action to recover medical expenses, cost of damage to the bicycle, and to some extent compensation for the pain and suffering experienced by her 9-year-old son.

Police acknowledge that the incident did happen but say that the officer swerved to avoid the child who then collided into the side of the patrol vehicle. Police are prepared to go to court because the constable is not accepting blame. And police say the constable reported the accident to the Scenes of Crimes Unit. It's the first time we've heard a report made to that civilian-staffed unit.

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