Grandmother of Guatemalan Student Missing in Belize Speaks to News 5

A desperate search is underway for 13-year-old Lizzie Suntecum, a primary school student who vanished under mysterious circumstances on Monday afternoon.

Lizzie, a student at San Jose Roman Catholic School, reportedly failed to return to class after the school’s lunch break. According to family members, Lizzie lives with her mother and two younger siblings in Melchor de Mencos, Guatemala, and crosses the western border daily to attend school in Succotz. Their father, who lives in Belize, facilitates the children’s daily border crossing and school commute.

The school became concerned when Lizzie was absent from her 1:00 p.m. class. Staff contacted both parents, but neither was aware of her whereabouts. Lizzie’s grandmother, Oralia Rosado, said the family is distraught and confused.

“My son always takes them to school and picks them up. They don’t leave the school during the day because they’re part of the feeding program,” Rosado explained.

“The principal said Lizzie had told another student that her aunt would be picking her up at 12:45, but when they checked, no aunt ever came and she doesn’t have an aunt in Belize.”

Rosado confirmed that Lizzie only has one aunt who lives in the country, and that relative denied knowing anything about the disappearance. The child was last seen by a fellow student who claimed Lizzie said her aunt would be collecting her shortly after lunch. However, surveillance footage from the school reportedly does not show her leaving the premises.