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12 days until postmortem; Widow alleges foul play during incarceration

Kevin 'Boco T' Kelly

Kevin 'Boco T' Kelly died inside a cell at the San Pedro Police Formation on April twenty-sixth. His body was transferred to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital morgue but he had not been laid to rest because the family was awaiting an autopsy for twelve days. On Tuesday that examination was finally carried out by Doctor Mario Estradabran, whose contract with the Ministry of Police is under negotiation. This afternoon the police department released the official report citing the cause of death as "Hypervolemic shock due to internal bleeding; due to multiple abdominal trauma, and due to a blunt instrument." What it does not say is that Boco T was in police custody at the time of his death and whether or not there is a murder investigation with the guidance of Internal Affairs. We tried to speak to the press officer on who are the investigating officers, and if any police officers stationed in San Pedro are the subject of that investigation, but he did not return our calls. Police originally claimed that Boco T had escaped from custody following a robbery and fell on his face after scaling two fences. He was recaptured on the threat of being shot. News Five was able to reach Boco T's widow, Lorna Wade who believes he was murdered.

Lorna Wade, Widow of Kevin 'Boco T' Kelly

"When they done, Dr. Estradabran send the paper out to me and then stated that Boco no died from broken neck or no died from any overdose; that he died in the custody of the police-trauma to the stomach and internal bleeding."

Jose Sanchez

"Trauma to the stomach and internal bleeding. Did anyone say from the San Pedro Police Formation how that may have happened?"

Lorna Wade

"Up to now as I've stated, no police come talk to me yet. They still no tell we why they detain him. We just the hear lee things, just rumors on the street, but up to yet no police talk to me or the mother."

Jose Sanchez

"Now this sounds like something for internal affairs. Have you spoken to any police about investigating those officers out there?"

Lorna Wade

Lorna Wade

"Well right now we di talk to our lawyer, Kareem Musa. He wa do wah private investigation to the police. He gwen out to San Pedro and find out more or less weh he could gather up because we di look fi do wah sue to sue the police because why they take so long to do the autopsy. We believe they mi have something fi hide and not the doctor report confirm that probably Boco get several beating and that's why ih mi di bleed inside."

Jose Sanchez

"Now just for putting it into perspective, his case is the second case of a person at least they were saying just fainting or just drop down and died. Does that also concern you that there is something more happening in that department?"

Lorna Wade

"On the street I hear that they banned Boco already from the island and he neva come in. So I believe that dah something that they meant to do to him because as weh I say, I mi just wish maybe if they mi bring him, detain him, and charge him for a crime that they said he commit. But don't kill him and hib ahn dah morgue without report nothing to we. Me nor ih family noh know nothing until somebody come and tell we oh ih body done deh dah more. Police still no come to us and say well Miss Wade or Miss Kelly, we have Kevin Kelly's body at the morgue."

Jose Sanchez

"Do you think he was killed?"

Lorna Wade

"As me and ih family says, when we notice Kevin body, we know ih mi bruise so we know that they beat him. And the young man that was with Kevin on the island said he notice they di throw water and the taze him-shock him up-and several people say they see when they mi di beat Kevin. That lead up to they di kill ahn noh."

Jose Sanchez

"Boco's children, his family that he is leaving behind, how have they been doing without having their provider around?"

Lorna Wade

"Well right now as we said, he used to look after ih three daughters and right now I have my children them and he used to help me out. So I don't know weh we wah do. So when it comes to his funeral we di ask if anyone could assist us because due to the police holding the body so long, we could not get around to anybody helping us because they tell we they need the death certificate. But being now that it is twelve days since ih body on this earth, we have to hurry do something weh we could do. We di ask if anybody could assist us."

If you would like to assist Wade, you can call her at 651-0178 or make a deposit to her Belize Bank Account number at 2025666. Wade says that Boco T's funeral will take place on Thursday afternoon at Saint Mary's Church.

Channel 5

Was Boco-T Beaten To Death?

Estradabran's contract is in its final revision and is being forwarded to him for his approval. The Ministry of National Security expects that the contract should be signed by tomorrow.

Channel 7