At just seven months old, Baby Emiliano Flores had already touched hearts across Belize. After a brave fight with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a rare genetic illness that rapidly weakens the body’s muscles, Emiliano passed away on Wednesday.
Baby Emiliano’s mother confirmed the heartbreaking news on social media, stating, “It is with shattered hearts that we announce the eternal rest of our beautiful son, Emiliano. We thank you all for your unwavering support during this entire process.”
“This is an incredibly difficult time for the family, and they need our love and support more than ever. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers,” said another family member on social media.
In honour of his memory, the family says they will still hold a raffle on 31 July to help cover expenses. Proceeds will go directly to supporting the grieving parents.
Police have arrested and charged 28-year-old Michael Adaniel Middleton for escaping lawful custody days after he fled detention while facing a murder charge.
The Belizean construction worker from Roaring Creek Village was formally charged on Thursday, 10 July, following his recapture.
Middleton was initially arrested on 4 July alongside 23-year-old Kyle Roberts for the murder of 21-year-old Travis Swift. Swift was shot dead inside his mother’s bedroom in Camalote Village on Friday night, 13 June, shortly after returning from a nearby store. He was killed at the foot of his mother’s bed, while his younger brother narrowly escaped injury.
Belize has joined three other Caribbean nations in committing to implement full free movement of people under the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) by 1 October 2025.
The announcement was made at the close of the CARICOM Heads of Government meeting held this week in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
CARICOM Chairman Andrew Holness confirmed the development, stating, “We are now moving from applying administratively the protocol on enhanced cooperation, which all member states have signed with now four countries: Barbados, Belize, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Dominica, reiterating their willingness to implement full free movement under the protocol on October 1, 2025.”
While the free movement of people is a founding principle of the CSME, implementation across the region has been slow. This latest agreement marks a renewed step forward for regional integration.
A beloved sniffer dog named Bruno has been killed in what Italy’s prime minister is calling a “vile, cowardly” act. Bruno died from internal bleeding after eating sausages filled with nails that were thrown into his kennel in Taranto, southern Italy.
His owner and trainer, Arcangelo Caressa, told Italian media that Bruno was not the real target. He believes he was. “I know who you are, and you will pay for it,” Caressa warned, adding that he had received death threats in recent weeks for his work training anti-drug dogs and fighting illegal dog fighting.
Bruno was known as a hero for his work tracking missing people, including children and Alzheimer’s patients. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni shared a photo of herself giving Bruno an award, calling the killing “heartbreaking” and “unacceptable.”
Bruno, originally from Belgium, worked with Caressa for seven years. “You fought your whole life to help people, and the same people did this to you,” Caressa wrote on social media.
Drs. Arlen and Diane Chase of the University of Houston have uncovered the tomb of Te K’ab Chaak, the founding ruler of Caracol’s royal dynasty. This is according to the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH).
The discovery, made during the 2025 field season under an official permit from the Institute of Archaeology, marks the first confirmed tomb of an identifiable ruler found at the site in over 40 years.
Te K’ab Chaak, who ascended to the throne in 331 AD, was interred at the base of the royal family shrine. His burial included an array of prestigious artefacts: 11 intricately crafted pottery vessels, carved bone tubes, jadeite jewellery, a mosaic jadeite mask, Pacific spondylus shells, and other perishable materials, each item a testament to his royal status and the city’s wealth.
According to NICH, this extraordinary find not only sheds light on the origins of Caracol’s political power but also reinforces its status as a major center of influence in the ancient Maya world. The tomb’s contents and location provide critical insights into early Maya rulership and ceremonial practices.
“This discovery is of national importance,” stated Dr. Melissa Badillo, Director of The Institute of Archaeology. “It reinforces Belize’s critical role in ancient Mesoamerican networks and highlights the value of preserving and studying our archaeological heritage.”
Terrifying moments unfolded at Grace Primary School in Belize City this morning, where upper school students were attending summer classes. Dozens of shots rang out just outside their classroom, forcing both students and teachers to scramble for cover. In the chaos, thirty-one-year-old Andre Kerr was found injured inside his vehicle and rushed to the hospital. The school quickly suspended classes for the day as the community grappled with the shock. News Five’s Paul Lopez was on the scene shortly after the incident and brings us this report.
This morning, chaos erupted just steps away from Grace Primary School on Faber’s Road Extension, as more than twenty gunshots shattered the calm. What unfolded was a chilling reminder of the escalating gang tensions gripping parts of Belize City, a near-fatal attack that left students, teachers, and residents shaken.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
“Summer classes were in session at Grace Primary School this morning when shots rang out a few feet away. In the aftermath a Belize city resident laid injured inside his vehicle, while students were left traumatized.”
The shooting victim has been identified as thirty-one-year-old Andre Kerr. In the wake of the gunfire, the administration at Grace Primary didn’t hesitate. Acting swiftly, they suspended classes and immediately called on parents to pick up their children. It was a tense and emotional scene, as families rushed to the compound, shaken but grateful their loved ones were safe. We spoke with the grandfather of a nine-year-old student who asked to remain anonymous.
Voice of: Grandfather of Student
Voice of: Grandfather of Student
“It is kind of scary to know we have our kids coming to school and something like this happened in front of the school. Mein, these guys need to hold it down. Mein this really upset me because this area it’s a lot of kids and these guys have to watch what they are doing. Anybody could have been in this cross fire. It is just a random shooting and a lot of shots. Look how much shells on the ground that the police is looking at.”
The student’s grandfather also witnessed parts of the shooting incident as it unfolded.
Voice of: Grandfather of Student
“This morning I came and brought my granddaughter to school and on my way back I went over there by the Chinese and I heard an amount of shots and when I looked back I saw this brown car run underneath that bus. So immediately I spun around and came back and when I came back, two or three guys were full of blood inside the vehicle and a motorcycle take off up Fabers Road with speed. I guess that was the gunman nuh. Well when I heard the shot the shot and I spin around and I see the vicinity of where the car ran underneath the bus I already knew that my granddaughter was already in class. But I came back to see what happened, because bullet nuh have no name and they could be flying around all over the place, mien I worried about my granddaughter. Immediately I came back to see what was going on.”
Witnesses near Grace Primary School said the gunfire sounded like a truck using jake brakes. They saw two men speeding away on a motorcycle. The car Andre Kerr was in was riddled with bullet holes in the windshield and driver’s window. After being shot in the eye, shoulder, and arm, Kerr crashed into the back of a city bus. Police found at least twenty-two shell casings at the scene and are still piecing together what happened.
Dr. Richard Rosado
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police
“Kerr was subsequently transported to the hospital and he is admitted in a stable condition. I want to add that the scene was processed and we have retrieved several expended shell casings. The motorcycle used in the scene was also recovered and we are looking for two persons of interest. I also want to add that the shooting appeared to be a targeted attack and we are pursuing all leads to apprehend the suspects.”
Voice of: Grandfather of Student
“It is overwhelming you know. I think lack of parenting is one of the big issues in this country. You can see it is only the youths committing these crimes. Nobody over thirty and forty shooting these guns, lone youths and I guess the youths of today they get away from their parents. In our days when our parents dealt with us it is different that today. I even see it here at the school, the kids have problems with the teacher, instead of the parents come reason with the teacher they come with attitude like they want to beat the teacher. We have to set examples for the youths if we don’t do that we will forever have this kind of problem in this country.”
That grandparent contends that there is a need for greater police presence in the area.
Dr. Richard Rosado
“My officers are working around the clock. We have increased visibility in all those hot spots. We are also monitoring the situation on the ground and conducting targeted operations, especially in those areas of concern. We have also increased police visibility in all those areas of interest.”
Authorities are asking those with information that can assist in their investigation to come forward. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.
This morning’s attempt on Andre Kerr’s life marks the fourth attempted murder in Belize City since last Friday, a troubling sign that gang violence is on the rise. So, what is the Belize Police Department doing to stop the bloodshed? Commissioner of Police Doctor Richard Rosado weighs in on the growing concern and the department’s response.
Dr. Richard Rosado
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police
“Any spike in violence is a concern to the police department and our investigators are working around the clock, meticulously trying to collect evidential material to identify and bring those individuals to justice. I am confident that we will have an arrest or two very shortly.”
The Belize Police Department is once again under fire, this time, in Corozal. A shocking video is making the rounds, showing what appears to be a full-blown brawl between police officers and civilians. In the footage, several individuals, including a woman, are seen being struck repeatedly with what look like police batons. It all started with a routine traffic stop: a man riding a motorcycle without a taillight refused to pull over, leading officers straight to his family’s home. But what should have been a simple stop quickly spiraled into chaos. Family members allegedly fought back with pint bottles, sticks, and even a metal bar, leaving several officers injured. Now, multiple people are facing serious charges, and the investigation is far from over.
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police
“Police officers attached to the Corozal police formation were escorting the complainant to the police station when their attention was drawn to a male person who was driving a motorcycle with no headlights illuminated and the male person was also not wearing a helmet. Police sought to stop the individual, however, he refused to stop. Police then followed the individual to an area and upon detaining him and seeking to leave the location, a group of individuals, some of whom were armed with bottles, surrounding the police mobile, thereby preventing the police from leaving. The police officers then requested assistance from the Quick Response Team who arrived at the location approximately ten minutes later, at which time the group of individuals who were relatives of the persons who were detained were still preventing the police from leaving. The situation quickly escalated where several individuals were injured, including four police officers. We have launched both a criminal and a disciplinary investigation into the matter. The video that was shown to me, the behavior that I have seen from one of the police officers, at least one of the officers is inconsistent with the standard expected from our police officers. But the department, I must add, has a zero-tolerance approach to police brutality and hence the reason we have instituted both a criminal and a disciplinary investigation to ascertain what exactly transpired. I recognize the incidents that have been happening and I want to reaffirm our commitment to the principle of community policing and I want to reaffirm the community that we are taking decisive action to deal with these incidents whenever it arises and we are dealing with it as quickly and as thoroughly as possible.”
The investigation into the death of nineteen-year-old Kevin De Paz has officially concluded. You’ll recall, De Paz lost his life during a violent street brawl in Caye Caulker on June thirtieth, a confrontation that involved two off-duty police officers. He was stabbed multiple times and later died from his injuries. Surveillance footage shows the officers stepping in after a man was knocked unconscious by De Paz’s group. In total, five people were stabbed, and the officers claimed they acted in self-defense. Today, we asked the Commissioner of Police, Doctor Richard Rosado, for an update on the findings.
Dr. Richard Rosado
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police
“Reference that incident, the file has been completed and has been complied anddirected to the Director of Public Prosecution and we await her directive.”
A father and son, Josue and Felipe Solis, lost their lives in a tragic road traffic accident that has left their loved ones and neighbors in shock. The two were heading home after a long day’s work when their motorcycle collided with an oncoming truck. Tonight, the Rhaburn Ridge Community mourns not just the loss of two lives, but the deep void left behind. News Five’s Britney Gordon has a full story.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
Just days after a string of deadly road accidents shook the nation, tragedy has struck again, this time claiming the lives of a father and son from Rhaburn Ridge. Thirty-four-year-old Josue Solis and his eighteen-year-old son Felipe were just minutes from home when their motorcycle collided with a truck on the highway. The truck driver says he was swerving to avoid potholes when the crash happened. Tonight, the Solis family is left heartbroken, and a community is once again mourning lives lost too soon.
Juan Mejia
Juan Mejia, Brother-in-law of Deceased
“Josue was on was on the pavement and Felipe was on the side, on the grass. The truck was over the other side, close to the post. I called the emergency number. And when I called the emergency number, they give me the news. The police tell me that they had already passed so I was ready, when I got [the news].”
Josue, his wife, and their three children were known as kind, hardworking neighbors, people who brought warmth to those around them. Tonight, their absence is painfully real. One neighbor, Asher Fard, shared that he still finds it hard to believe he’ll no longer hear the familiar greetings from Josue and Felipe that once brightened his days.
Asher Fard
Asher Fard, Friend of Deceased
“I know ney people, I da she like over ten years. Dey da di best neighbor you could ever have. The guy well respectful, ih wife well respectful, the kids ney well respectful. You know ney pass you, ney always bid you the time of day. No dispute, you never hear ney people no quarrel, nothing. Ney soul da like angel di walk pan d earth as I tell you. So respectful I admire the way how is see the guygrow up ney kids and thing with respect. Mey always pass yo and always bid you the time of the day. Very cool, very humble person. Everytime he pass yo he always she yes mister Asher or yes big man.”
Felipe had recently graduated from St John’s College and had plans to pursue higher education. Until then, he had been working with his father. But now, both lives have been tragically cut short. What was meant to be a season of new beginnings has turned into a time of unimaginable loss. As Josue’s brother-in-law, Juan Mejia, puts it, this is a heartbreak that’s rippling through everyone who knew them.
Juan Mejia
“It’s a huge loss be cause he’s a dad. He have two daughters, and a wife. So it was the one provider. No. So it’s a big loss. My wife is the third sister to the family. He have families, other sisters, brothers in Honduras. Yeah, it’s a, it is a huge loss because of the life of the young boy now. He just graduated and he went and so it’s a huge loss for the family.”
The Solis family is not alone in their grief. Here’s more from Fard.
Asher Fard
“Cool brethren and ih son- lovely lee bredda, lovely lee bwai. Da wa great loss fi dis village right ya because up ya we da like wa small community. But all ah we know each other. All ah we interact with each other and everybody know each other, And da wa great loss, we feel it, I tell you. It really hurt right.”
Police are still investigating the incident, but the Solis family is calling for accountability and hopes that more can be done to protect future riders and drivers on Belize’s roads.
Juan Mejia
“The main problem in our country. We have these small roads, this is a one lane, if you go to other countries, you notice that this is one lane, so we will forever be having this problem if the governments do not fix it, for sure is the roads. The roads are too small in our country. We need to do better as a country.”
