3-Year-Old Wanders from Home, Found Drowned a Mile Away

Turning now to a heartbreaking story out of Punta Gorda, where a three‑year‑old boy, little Asher Mejia, lost his life after wandering away from home and later being found in the sea near St. Peter Claver School. His family realized something was wrong when Asher didn’t return with his siblings, who had only gone to a nearby store. They searched desperately before making the tragic discovery. Police say Asher was rushed to the hospital, but doctors couldn’t save him. Tonight, investigators are still piecing together exactly how the toddler ended up in the water. Police Staff Officer, Assistant Superintendent Stacy Smith, tells us what they know so far.

 

ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer

“Punta Gorda Police were advised of the presence of a young minor, namely three-year-old Asher Mejia, who had suffered from a drowning incident near the St. Peter Claver School in that town. Police responded and they ferried the young Mr. Mejia to the hospital where he was later pronounced dead. Initial investigation suggests that sometime around eleven a.m., Mejia is believed to have left his residence and his parents was of the view that he had accompanied siblings of his to a nearby store to purchase snacks. It was only when those siblings return and Mejia was not along with him that they were aware of his disappearance. Efforts were made to discover him, and that concluded when he was found in the sea in the afore area. I think some three days prior, his parents would have visited the Punta Gorda Police Station and reported him missing after their effort to locate him, prove futile. However, shortly after that, he was located I believe in a little dog house in a neighbor’s property. The parents suggested that given on this occasion that he had done something similar in the past, they had not reported it immediately and this is the result.”

 

 Police Make Urgent Public Plea for Wandering Children

 

In the wake of that tragedy, police are urging the public to act. Three‑year‑old Asher Mejia is now the third young child to lose his life this way in just over a year. In 2024, six‑year‑old King Shakel Wade drowned in South Creek Canal while in a babysitter’s care. Then, in February 2025, cameras captured six‑year‑old Gabriel Orellano running alone before he was later found dead in the sea behind Hangar. Police say the pattern is alarming and want residents to intervene when they see very young children roaming alone. Asked whether Asher’s parents may face charges, Assistant Superintendent Stacy Smith says that’s up to the DPP, but she stresses the wider community also bears responsibility in preventing tragedies like these.

 

ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer

“We have recorded statements and those statements will be forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for guidance. What I will comment on is that the area where the child was from is reported to be some one mile away from his home. So this suggests that there was for a considerable period of time this child walking on the street, and that for me presented an opportunity for persons to have intercepted him and done the needful. This is not the first instance I could recall with much regret. The instance with baby Ora from Stella Morris, where he was seen on the street and again persons did not intercede. I know Easter is coming up shortly and there will be more children who will be at home. And though we encourage parents to certainly improve their supervision, there is also a role for those in society to play when these incidents happen and they observe these very young children or these children with diverse abilities on the street and without proper supervision.”

 

Police say community action can prevent tragedies like this, even as they await guidance from the DPP.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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