Special Envoy Calls Out Police Department For Failure

The Office of the Special Envoy for the Development of Families and Children has issued a powerful condemnation of the brutal killing of 35-year-old Angelita Magaña and her two children, Tishan and Shadia. They were in their home in San Felipe Village when Magaña’s ex-partner, Francisco Godoy, set the house on fire. He died while receiving treatment at the KHMH.

Rossana Briceño expressed “deep sorrow and outrage” over the tragedy, calling it both a national failure and a preventable act of violence.

“Angelita did everything right; she asked for help, she sought protection, she trusted the system. Yet, the very system that was meant to keep her and her children safe failed them completely,” the statement read.

Briceño condemned the “failure of the Belize Police Department and justice system to protect this family, even after repeated signs of danger.” She said that when “an abuser is granted bail despite a record of violence, and when victims’ pleas are not treated with urgency, the system itself becomes a part of the problem.”

The Special Envoy’s Office said that through the Spouses of CARICOM Leaders Action Network (SCLAN), it has conducted several trainings on gender-based violence (GBV) for both police and military officers across Belize. However, Briceño expressed frustration that “despite all the sessions, despite all the training, some officers and institutions still do not fully understand the most basic part of their job: to protect those who cannot protect themselves.”

She also highlighted ongoing challenges within emergency response systems, noting that “domestic violence hotlines and 911 operators often go unanswered,” leaving victims without critical help when they need it most.

The statement urged a full review of how bail is granted in domestic violence cases, as well as stronger enforcement of restraining orders and victim protection measures.

“This cannot be another case we talk about for a few days and then forget. We owe Angelita, Tishan, and Shadia better. We owe every mother, every child, and every survivor of abuse the promise that the system will not fail them again,” Briceño said.