The Sandhill youth had been missing since Tuesday, July 9
DOUBLE RUN, Sandhill, Belize District, Mon. July 15, 2019– The search for teenager Doren Denver Grinage, 15, of Sandhill, nephew of Hon. Edmond Castro, who had been missing since Tuesday afternoon, July 9, when he left home, came to a sad conclusion this morning. What has been described as “half of his body,” the lower part, partially decomposed, was found floating in a lagoon in the Double Run area of Sandhill.
The body part was retrieved and taken to an area where an onsite post-mortem exam was to be conducted.
Denise Grinage, the teenager’s devastated mother, said that they identified him due to the boxer shorts that was on the body. They are sure that the remains are those of their loved one. She thanks God that at least part of him has been found, and they have gotten some degree of closure.
The family, however, is waiting for divers from the Coast Guard, to conduct diving in the area to see if they can recover any other parts of his body. At this time, it could not be ascertained whether crocodiles or other animals had interfered with the body.
ASP Alejandro Cowo said that although the family is confident that they have found their loved one due to the clothes they recognized, as far as they are concerned, Doren Grinage is still missing until his identity can be confirmed by DNA tests.
Swabs will be taken from family members and from the body, and submitted to the National Forensic Sciences lab, which will submit it for DNA testing.
Denise Grinage said that they have been searching for Dorian since Tuesday, when he failed to return home. They searched in and around the village and this morning, they took a boat and went into the lagoon, and that was when Dorian’s father saw the partial body floating.
His father, who found the body, thought at first that it was the complete body, and alerted the searchers and police that he had been found.
It is unknown what happened to the teenager. Police said that there are two rivaling groups in the village, and he was a member of one of the groups.
Although he left home on Tuesday and had not returned, during the police press brief today, ASP Alejandro Cowo said that the teenager was seen on the Old Northern Highway on Wednesday evening, after which he disappeared.
Police and Grinage’s family have no clues about what were the circumstances that led to his death. His mother said that he was mild-mannered and thanks God that he has been found.
The family thanks all who came out to search for him. Police said that several persons have been detained, but have been released as the investigation progresses.