Today's press conference gave the media an opportunity to question police about last Thursday's accident in which a GSU officer knocked down 2 year-old Tevin Cacho.
As we told you, at around 8 o'clock that night, the GSU pick up pulled on his mother and a group of other adults who police say were engaging in public drinking on Iguana Street Extension in Belize City.
His mother left him in the care of a friend, and when she returned from a nearby shop, she found him crushed under the wheel of the GSU mobile.
He remains in a critical condition at the KHMH, and his mother is demanding justice against the officer who was behind the wheel. Today, the Deputy Police Commissioner, Chester Williams, shared the details from the perspective of the GSU officers:
Chester Williams- Deputy ComPol, Operations
"The police were conducting on the crime patrol on Antelope Street extension, during which they visited a store, or a shop, Kim's Shop, within the area. Where a number of persons were congregating--public drinking. As you know, public drinking is against the law, so is loitering; this was around 8:15 pm therabout. The police vehicle came to a stop and some of the officers alighted the vehicle and went to speak with those persons who were obviously committing a breach of the law. One officer remained in the vehicle and the officer moved the vehicle forward to park on the side of the road. Few minutes later, or seconds, two females who were at the store drinking, in front of the store, shouted at the officer in the vehicle that a child was under the vehicle. The officer immediately, alighted the vehicle and he and others removed the child from under the vehicle and the child was rushed to the KHMH. I will say it is a sad situation, but parents need to understand that they need to take better care of their children especially when they're out with them on the street late at night. One would wonder was a two year old doing on the street after eight pm at night without being properly supervised?"
Reporter
"Will the department assume an financial responsibility in terms of this child being hospitalized and his medical treatment and what have you or; how does that part of it work?"
Chester Williams:
"I am not going to say that we are going to, because to do so, is accepting liability and at this time, we are not accepting liability. Yes, we'll see what can be done for the child, because it's a child and if there's any way that we can assist, we are going to do so. But we are not going to make any commitment at this time."
As you heard, Deputy Commissioner Williams said that at this time the Department is not assuming any responsibility for what happened to Baby Tevin. The press challenged him on that stance, and that's when he kind of pointed fingers at the baby's mother. Here's that part of the conversation:
Chester Williams- Deputy ComPol, Operations
"I know that some may want to blame the police, but I would say that the mother is as equally culpable in that situation. To take that child out and failed to properly supervise that is wrong.That is neglect of child and she could be dealt with by law, but we are not going to act inconsiderate because we understand the pain that she is going through as well, because of what has happened to the child. And the officer who was driving the vehicle, he too is devastated because he is a father too and the manner in which the incident occurred, there is no way the officer could have seen the child in front of that vehicle. Hence i said, it's a sad situation that ought not to have occurred and one of the only ways by which that could have been prevented was for that mother to have kept that child close to her, or for her to have left that child at home."
And so, what about the officer? Well, the Deputy ComPol told the press that he will be investigated, and if it is determined that he was at fault for what happened to Baby Tevin, then he will be criminally prosecuted:
Chester Williams- Deputy ComPol, Operations
"To know that you are the driver of a vehicle that ran over a child, that is not something easy for a person with a heart to take. It is difficult for him and even now he is still devastated over the incident because it is not something intentional. Nobody in their right state of mind would want to run over a child, none."
Reporter:
"We were informed that police have issued a notice of intended prosecution against the officer."
Chester Williams:
"Yes that was done."
Reporter:
"What does that mean specifically for him in terms of...is he facing a real prospect of criminal charges for the accident?"
Chester Williams:
"The officers from traffic are the ones conducting the investigation and with every traffic incident, where determining who is at fault is not easily determined, he was issued with a note of intended prosecution, so that in the event that couple weeks down the road it is determined that he was at fault, and have failed to exercise due care and attention whilst driving, then the notice of intended prosecution will allow the police to be able to levy charges against him. In the absence of that being done, then it would have been difficult because the law does not provide for you to be able to proceed unless that is done."
"We will do what needs to be done in terms of investigating the matter and the chips will fall where they may. We're not in any way going to cover for anybody, afterall, it's a child who is involved and if it is that the investigation reveals that Mr. Mckoy failed to exercise due care and attention, then he will be dealt with and will be dealt with like any ordinary person."
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