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Her Son Wanted For Murder, Mother Says The State Is Holding Her Daughter Hostage
posted (April 19, 2024)
The State of Emergency in Belize City will last until next week - and the commissioner of police has called for a 30 day extension.

The Minister of Home Affairs will have to get the green light for that from Cabinet - but one mother is hoping the compol's wish won't be granted.

She's Shelley Meighan - and her daughter has been detained under the SOE - unjustly she says. Jules Vasquez spoke to her at her home today where she asked to appear off camera:

This is Ellis Meighan - he is wanted for murder and attempted murder that happened in Placencia.

And this is his older sister, 32 year old Shanique Meighan - who was detained on Wednesday night - somehow under SOE. Tonight, her mother is crying foul:

Shelly Meighan, Daughter Detained SOE
"I don't want any pity form anybody, I'm just bringing my story out. They took my daughter under SOE which is State of Emergency. If my daughter was in jail for an offence that she did, then I would have understand, but I don't know why my daughter is under state of emergency when she is not a gang figure."

This mother claims her daughter was told that she was detained so that her brother Ellis would turn himself in:

Shelly Meighan, Daughter Detained SOE
"They tell me if I don't give up my brother they will send me up for state of emergency. Those were her exact words to me. So she said mom, don't worry, they are just frightening me. I don't know where my brother is. This is a 48."

Well, much more than 48 - it turns out, she's held under the SOE:

Shelly Meighan, Daughter Detained SOE
"And they didn't allow my daughter to even get a phone call to tell me that she is going to prison. This is part that I don't understand, because if you are going to prison even without a charge sheet, you are detained, you are going under SOE. They could have given her a phone call to let me know my daughter is going up for state of emergency."

"You know how I got a phone call? A nice police officer allowed my daughter to get a phone call in the bus at Lord Ridge Cemetery and all I heard was "ma, they are taking me up for state of emergency, no worry about me, I am good. You just take care of yourself - I could handle this.""

And while she cannot visit her daughter, this mother says that the terms of her imprisonment are clear:

Jules Vasquez
"You think your daughter is being basically held hostage until Ellis turns himself in?"

Shelly Meighan, Daughter Detained SOE
"That's right. I ask the police officer why is my daughter detained. He said your daughter is detained under PI murder. I ask who my daughter murdered? he didn't answered."

Jules Vasquez
"The situation being what it is, have you reached out to Ellis to say boy please turn yourself in, so they can set your sister free?"

Shelly Meighan, Daughter Detained SOE
"I did tell him that, but at the end of the day, I'm not sure if Ellis turns himself in, that will compensate what they did to my daughter already. They took her up for SOE. Where is the constitution of Belize that say in black and white that if you can't find your brother, your sister go to jail. Where is the constitution?"

Jules Vasquez
"We interview all the time mothers who enable their children who insist that my son never did it, they never did that. Might this be a case where perhaps your daughter, I have to ask you, maybe involved in something that you don't know about and maybe that's why she was targeted in the SOE?"

Shelly Meighan, Daughter Detained SOE
"Okay Jules, if she was targeted for something I don't know about, where is the charge sheet? otherwise and SOE. Where is the charge sheet? I know they will come up with something to say. I am not saying my boys are saints. Everybody knows them, but its allegation, because they don't have any conviction."

Since the SOE was declared police have searched the Meighan's house multiple times - and her other son Tyrone Meighan is now also wanted by police - while reports say Ellis Meighan is planning to turn himself in.

Shelley Meighan's other son, Shaquille ran to the US some months ago - which she says is the only way he escaped this crackdown.

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