By Belize Live News Staff: The nation is grappling with heartbreak and outrage after 26-year-old Tyrique Rodriguez, a mentally ill man, took his own life in a psychiatric cell at Belize Central Prison. Rodriguez had only been in custody for three days after being charged with possession of 0.3 grams of crack cocaine. Despite being remanded to a specialized unit and undergoing regular checks, prison officials found him dead around 11:00 p.m. Thursday night.
Rodriguez was known in the Kings Park area as a harmless figure struggling with mental illness. His stepfather, Richard Gabourel, expressed devastation, stating that Tyrique was quiet, never violent, and had been battling his condition since his teenage years. His mother, living in the U.S., said she was unaware he was even arrested.
