Ayana Bennett Moody
Update on Nov. 22
Foster parents Marvin and Lena Plett of Spanish Lookout were formally charged with manslaughter today in the death of 4-year old Ayana Moody which ocurred Friday morning, Nov. 17. They were then transported to the infamous Belize Central Prison, commonly known as "Hattieville" due its proximity to the village of that name, to await their court hearing which was set for February 15, 2024.
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Nov. 21
As per our article on 18.11.2023, a couple from Spanish Lookout were arrested on Friday after the sudden and mysterious death of a 4 year old foster girl in their care during the wee hours of Friday morning. At first the story was that she had suffocated while sleeping; however based on the post-mortem, the child's body showed clear signs of physical injury. The foster parents, Mennonite residents of Spanish Lookout, admitted that the child was punished with a belt several times over the course of a 24-hour period because she kept refusing to comply when being taught some basic elements of pre-school study such as identifying the colors of objects around her. A court session was scheduled for today in which their charges would be read. Initially they had been charged with aggravated assault but this charge might possibly be upgraded to manslaughter. The biological mother, who is from Belize City, has already lost a child to gun violence in 2018. She currently has a younger child also in foster care in Spanish Lookout.
The Spanish Lookout community issued a public statement over the weekend, confirming that a foster child had died and stating that they supported the police investigation. At the courthouse today, supporters of the foster parents, mostly residents of Spanish Lookout, could be seen.
Billy White