Photo: Manuel Rodriguez, charged and Shona Baptist, victim
by Charles Gladden
BELIZE CITY, Fri. Dec. 1, 2023
Shona Baptist, 25, a call center agent who resides in the Brian Estate area of Burrell Boom Village, Belize District, is recovering in the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) after an attempt was made on her life by her common-law-husband.
On Thursday, November 30, Baptist’s common-law-husband, Manuel Rodriguez, allegedly attacked her with a knife and inflicted injuries to her throat.
According to official police reports, at around 7:45 p.m. that Thursday, Baptist was at home with her 3-year-old son when Rodriguez arrived home and started an argument with her which turned violent. Police reports said that Baptist was stabbed in multiple parts of her body.
When cops arrived at the scene, they saw an injured Baptist, who was transported to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, and Rodriguez, who was being detained by family members of Baptist and residents of the village.
In Monday’s police press briefing, Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander of the Belize Police Department’s Eastern Division, told reporters that Rodriguez entered the home under the influence of alcohol and began arguing with Baptist before inflicting her near-fatal injuries.
ACP Romero didn’t disclose whether the couple have had any domestic dispute in the past but said, “This is the first report we have.”
Shona Baptist remains in a stable condition at the KHMH, and Manuel Rodriguez has been charged with attempted murder and use of deadly means of harm.