MILE 8 COMMUNITY, Belize District, Mon. Apr. 1, 2019– According to police, Leevon Lewis, 43, of Belize City, was hit on his temple by his cousin during an argument at about 11:30 yesterday morning, and he fell backwards and hit his head on the edge of a parked vehicle’s tailgate as a result.

Lewis then fell to the ground and became motionless. He was rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

The cousin who hit him has since handed in himself to police.

In speaking to the media, Leevon’s mother, Marie Lewis, said that the cousin and other relatives had gone fishing earlier and they, the cousins, had been drinking. When they returned, food was prepared and Leevon was serving food to everyone.

He went to his cousin and apparently said something that angered his cousin, who hit him on the side of the head. Marie Lewis said that he was hit very hard, causing him to slam his head on the edge of the tailgate of a car.

She said that she understands what happened, but she would very much want the cousin to come to her and explain to her why he hit her son so forcefully.

Lewis said that she went to the hospital, where she saw her son. She said that his head had not appeared to be swollen, and she did not observe any bleeding. She said she asked her son if he was going to leave her, and she said prayers for him and held him close.

Lewis’ cousin has since been detained pending investigation

A post-mortem exam conducted on Lewis’ body this afternoon at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital by the police pathologist and his team certified that Lewis’ death was caused by “acute pulmonary edema due to chronic fibrosis lung disease, emphysema- type, due to massive subdural and ventricular bilateral hemorrhage.”