Belize: Missing teen Lizzie Suntecum was picked up by unknown adults, family says

Belize: As the search escalates for the missing 13-year-old Guatemalan student Lizzie Yamilet Suntecum, her family has received credible reports that she was picked up in a vehicle by a man and a woman.  

Reportedly, the child who was living with a relative in Belize went missing on Monday after lunch break at school. Her relative, Maria Pop, confirmed that Suntecum has no other relatives in Belize, so the family is worried because they don’t know who could have picked her up. 

The relative further said that people have been messaging her, claiming they have seen her in Corozal. “One person even messaged us saying they saw her getting off at Webster yesterday around 1:30 PM with the same person other students claim she left with,” she added.  

The relative continued to say that she is not the type of child to go missing or be out of contact and she wouldn’t usually leave school without permission. “We're puzzled because we don't know who this person is or if they've had any prior contact with her,” said Pop. 

It is reported that the child, a Standard 5 student at San Jose Roman Catholic School, lives in Melchor, but attends school in the village of San Jose Succotz, Cayo District. Last night, her mother indicated that the child left home yesterday morning to go to school and all accounts are that she was in class in the morning, but after the lunch break, she did not return.  

The school’s principal, Jenri Castanaza, said that he was immediately concerned because he knows that Suntecum is one of the 60-plus students enrolled in the feeding program so she would have no reason to leave the compound.  

He added that he is hoping and praying that everything turns out to be best. As of now, the police along with the family members are conducting an extensive search to find her whereabouts.