Education Minister Meets with Orellano’s Family, Vows Thorough Investigation

It’s been two days since the tragic drowning of six-year-old special needs student Gabrielle Pablo Orellano and a preliminary report into the investigation has already been prepared. Today Minister of Education Francis Fonseca met with Orellano’s parents personally to brief the family on what has been done so far and how the investigation is going. Fonseca says that the situation has the Ministry looking comprehensively at the possible security gaps that made it possible for the child to leave the schoolyard undetected.

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education: “A full investigation is underway. We’re working along with the Belize Police Department. The investigating officer is Detective McLaughlin. She’s conducting a very thorough investigation into this matter. We’re looking at everything. They’ve interviewed members of staff, wardens, eyewitnesses. They’ve looked at videos that are available. So that investigation is ongoing. In terms of the family, I’ve had an opportunity to meet with both the father and his family, and the mother and her family and we’ve assured them of our full support. We’ve also made it very clear to them that the investigation is ongoing. We will leave no stone unturned in terms of trying to get answers to all of the questions that they have and we have. And we will share all of that information with them once the investigation is concluded. Whenever we have incidents of this nature, obviously you are obliged to take a look at everything. So we’re going to look at everything. But I want to be very clear and I want to reassure the Belizeans that Stella Maris School is a very safe school. This school has been around since the 1950s, serves a very, very important purpose of ensuring that our children with special needs have an opportunity to gain the skills and tools they need to lead meaningful, productive lives. So I don’t want anybody to condemn the great work that Stella Maris School has done. Obviously this is a very, very tragic incident and we have to look at everything that is in place to make sure that in fact we are providing a safe environment for students here.”

Fonseca says that he empathized with the child’s father Vidal Oreallano and his call for someone to be held accountable for his son’s death. Fonseca haw vowed that the Ministry would be transparent with the investigation results and that anyone found to be liable would face consequences.

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education: “I just had a very good meeting with the father and his mother and we discussed those issues. You’re absolutely right and I told him he has absolutely every right to want answers to those questions. You know, as a father myself, I can only imagine the pain that he is suffering as a result of this loss. So we want answers to those questions. I want answers to those questions. I am demanding answers to those questions because we have a special duty of care for these children who attend school here. I’ve said that over and over to everyone here. So we will get answers to those questions and I have assured the father that the Belize Police Department, when we conclude we are working along with them to produce that report and when that is concluded they have an interim report and I think in a few days they’ll have a final report. When that is concluded, the first people we will sit down with is the family. I don’t want to get ahead of the investigation. Let’s see what the investigation reveals, what the report reveals and yes, I mean, you know, we will not hide anything. We don’t want to cover up anything, we will be 100% transparent and yes if there are consequences for anyone because of negligence or failure to carry out their duties, that will have to be dealt with.”

Gabrielle Orellano, drowned on Monday afternoon in the Hangar area of Belize City.