Stella Maris Renovation to Honour Gabriel Orellano

The death of six‑year‑old autistic student Gabriel Orellano earlier this year shook the nation and exposed serious safety gaps at Stella Maris School, a school for children with special needs in Belize City. Gabriel slipped out of the compound unnoticed and later drowned at sea.

Now, as the Ministry of Education prepares a full rehabilitation of the ageing campus, officials say the project will both strengthen security and honour the child whose loss made the system finally act.

Education Minister Francis Fonseca said today that the redesign includes a personal tribute to Gabriel. “When we open the building, we will dedicate a special plaque to young Gabrielle,” he said. 

Fonseca added that safety upgrades are central to the rebuild. “An important component of this rehabilitation is new fencing for the entire facility. The whole compound will be properly fenced to ensure these students are safe.”

Gabriel’s death in February 2025 resulted in national outrage, especially after newly obtained surveillance footage revealed how he wandered across busy streets for nearly forty minutes before reaching the sea.

Cameras captured his movements from Freetown Road to Princess Margaret Drive and eventually to the hangar area, where he climbed onto the seawall. Minutes later, bystanders discovered his lifeless body in the water and attempted CPR, but he could not be revived.

The government says the new Stella Maris will address those failures and ensure that students are protected within the compound.

The upgraded campus is scheduled to reopen in 2026.