BELIZE CITY, Thurs. June 6, 2019– Colin Nathaniel Francis, Jr., 28, a laborer of 8315 Mahogany Street Extension who appears to be mentally challenged, was brought today before Senior Magistrate Tricia Pitts Anderson to be arraigned on charges of attempted murder, dangerous harm and use of deadly means of harm.

She explained to him as best as she could that she would not take a plea from him because the offences are indictable and a plea will only be taken if the matter is sent up to the Supreme Court for trial.

The Senior Magistrate also explained to him that she could not offer him bail because of the nature of the charges, and remanded him until July 29.

Based on his appearance and the way he was responding, Senior Magistrate Anderson ordered a psychiatric evaluation for Francis while he is on remand.

The charges against Francis arose from an incident that occurred about 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 4, in which Francis allegedly stabbed Augustina Elijio, a nurse at Port Loyola Acute Mental Health Day Care Center.

According to reports, Francis had gone to the center for mental treatment and when Elijio was about to give him his injection, he stabbed her shoulder with a knife.

Elijio was admitted to ward at the KHMH, where her condition was described as being critical, but stable.