Punta Gorda Mourns Tragic Loss of 10-Year-Old Jazer Cho

Residents in Punta Gorda Town are mourning the loss of 10-year-old Jazer Cho. Yesterday, the primary school student was found dead inside a pond at his home in the Toledo District. Senior Toledo Correspondent Paul Mahung tells us more.

Paul Mahung, Toledo Correspondent: The tragic death of a minor has left staff and students of Bethel Seven Days Adventist School and members of Toledo Police Youth Cadet Corps, along with family members, in state of shock and grieving in Punta Gorda. As mentioned to Love News by father Bernardo Cho, it was about 1:30 Wednesday afternoon that the lifeless body of his 10-year-old son, Jazer Bernardo Cho was retrieved from a Tilapia pond in a family yard in the Indianville area of PG. 

Bernardo Sho, Father of Drowning Victim: “I reached from work and they called me back and told me that something happened home and I quickly reached back home and then they told me that one of my little boys was in the pond and then I jumped in there and I found him in the pond lifeless and I brought him out, did CPR then he brought up water and food and then never responded for twenty minutes. And then police came and took him away.  Very active an very smart guy. “

Paul Mahung, Toledo Correspondent: Along with tremendous loss directly affecting family, the unexpected tragic incident has left some 130 students and nine teachers in shock and grieving stage, as explained by Bethel Seven Days Adventist Primary School principal Maribel Leonardo Ramirez. 

Maribel, Leonardo Ramirez, Principal, Bethel Seven Days Adventist Primary School: “I am still shocked with the news, not only me but my entire staff. We are so saddened by the death. Most of my teachers they are even crying. Jazer was such a wonderful and dedicated student. The students, his classmates will miss him. The entire body of Bethel Adventist School will also miss Jazer. He always completed his assignment on time. Whenever there was group work he always helped the students that didn’t grasp the concept. He was always willing to help them. He also would go from class to class asking different teachers “Miss, do you want me to clean, to sweep, to take a chair?” He was always there with sports, very energetic young man.”

Paul Mahung, Toledo Correspondent:The tragic death of Jazer has also left colleagues of Toledo Police Youth Cadet Corps in grief and loss as commented by Officer in Command Toledo Police formation, Superintendent Brent Hamilton. 

Superintendent Brent Hamilton, Officer Commanding Toledo Police Formation: “Today he was supposed to go on a sports day trip with us, but he could not make it because of the unfortunate incident happened in his residence here in Punta Goda. He is a very vibrant cadet. He could have drilled well, very disciplined, and I could have seen him go far in the cadet program and maybe he would have ended up being a police officer or a BDF or wherever. So once again, we are saddened by this. Whenever we lose our youth, any youth or any person who loses their life is at loss for our community. And so, on behalf of the Toledo Police Youth Cadet Corps here in Punta Gorda we want to express our sympathy to the Cho family at the loss of their son.”

Paul Mahung, Toledo Correspondent: Up to the time of his tragic drowning incident, Jazer Cho lived at family home and he was an integral part of a family of six, including dad Bernardo Cho, mom Onika Harry, three brothers and one sister. Paul Mahung. Love News, Toledo.