POLICE are investigating the death of Delvor Ron Forde, a two-year-old boy of Lot 359 Tabatinga Lethem, Central Rupununi, which occurred between 17:00 hours and 17:06 hours on Thursday at the above-mentioned address.

According to a statement, investigations revealed that the two-year-old boy resided with his parents, Naomi Forde, a 34-year-old housewife and Aaron Bedaysie, a 30-year-old construction worker, along with eight other family members.

“According to the mother, at about 17:00 hours yesterday, (Thursday), she was in their partially fenced yard washing clothes, while the two-year-old was in the yard playing with his seven-year-old cousin when the victim came to her to bathe but she told him to wait.

“However, about six minutes later, she called for her two-year-old son but got no answer. A search party was mobilised and at about 01:20 hours today (Friday), the lifeless body of the two-year-old was found in a septic tank at the back of their home, about 15 feet away from where the mother was washing clothes. The body was taken out by a member of the search party before the arrival of the police.”

“On arrival at the scene, police observed a 12×12 ‘manhole’ on the septic tank, which the parents claimed was covered with a piece of plywood. No marks of violence were seen on the child’s body,” the statement said.

The child’s body was escorted to Lethem Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The body was then taken to the hospital’s mortuary to await a post-mortem examination.