As the upcoming school year approaches, there is pressure on many parents to provide school supplies, books and footwear for their children in time for the reopening of school. A Belize City father who apparently wasn’t providing all the necessary supplies was almost mauled by his two sons as a result.

Police report that they detained the two teenage boys, ages 13 and 17, of a Belize City address.

The father, 61-year-old taxi driver Elihue Bailey, told police that he had parked his vehicle in front of his house on Racoon Street Extension on Monday afternoon around 1:00. He then went upstairs of his house where he was accosted by his 13-year old son who questioned him about a pair of tennis shoes that he was supposed to get for school, which is scheduled to reopen shortly.

When the father told his son that he would not be able to buy the tennis shoes until the following week, the 13-year old threw a tantrum and threatened to destroy the windshield of his father’s vehicle. To avoid a confrontation, the father reportedly went back downstairs and got into his vehicle so as to depart from the premises. At that time, he was approached by his other son, a 17-year- old, who also proceeded to threaten him as well.

That is when the situation reportedly escalated, as the 13-year- old grabbed a 2 x 4 plank, and the 17-year-old took hold of a machete that he was reportedly using to cut cane in the back of the yard. They both attempted to assault their elderly father, who narrowly missed possible injury as he tried to escape the alleged onslaught by the two brothers.

Bailey scampered into his car and they were not able to harm him, but they did damage the driver’s door.

Both minors were detained by police, who recovered the 2-foot long machete and the 4-foot long plank. They were later released into the custody of their mother and Bailey subsequently dropped the charges against them.