Fla. Boy Told Adults Twice About Dead Body

AP ^

[Dbdaily]

Fla. Boy Told Adults Twice About Dead Body Associated Press

MIAMI - A boy who found an eighth grader's slain body in a school restroom had to tell a security guard twice before the man checked, according to documents released Wednesday.

The boy - a seventh grader identified by police as B.P.G - alerted the guard after seeing feet in a stall and blood on the floor on Feb. 3, according to his statement to police.

But the guard intervened only after the boy went into the restroom a second time with a friend, opened the stall and came out screaming that there was "a dead boy" in the bathroom, the statement said.

B.P.G. told police that 14-year-old Michael Hernandez, who has been charged with murder in the case, was in the restroom when he found Jaime Rodrigo Gough with fatal stab wounds.

A portion of Hernandez's journal released by a judge indicated anyone else he found in the bathroom could have been in danger: "Make sure there is no one in the bathroom If So Kill Them."

Hernandez apparently made no attempt to harm B.P.G.

The school guard, whose name was listed only as Mr. Nelson, could not be reached for comment Wednesday because the school was on spring break. Miami-Dade County school district officials had no immediate comment.

Prosecutors also released a statement by a 13-year-old classmate who sat next to Hernandez in the first class of the day after Gough's body was found and the school was locked down.

The boy identified as Z.D.T. said Hernandez told him that the blood on his shirt, legs, shoes and mouth were from running into a door. But the boy also heard Hernandez tell a teacher and a girl that the blood was from a nosebleed.

Hernandez whispered an expletive when school officials took him out of class later in the day and told him to bring his book bag, Z.D.T told police. Detectives say they found a serrated knife and a bloody latex glove inside.

As a juvenile charged as an adult, Hernandez could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted of first-degree murder. A lawyer for Hernandez was out of the country and not immediately available for comment.

[the OlLine Rebel]

Is the primary point that it took a "long time" to get any1 to believe him, or that a murder was committed? These headlines would make you think the former.

Cuz this was minor that some1 ignored them at 1st; it's not like the body was left for ages there. Please, no charges for the guard.

Let's concentrate on the killer.

[Cicero]

If the guard had a reasonable excuse, like not wanting to leave the door unwatched, fine.

But from the details in the story, it looks as if there could have been considerable danger to the kid who discovered the body from a murderer anxious to eliminate witnesses.

[coloradan]

Let's see, we have a school knifing here, with one fatality. Do you suppose it will reach the same national top-story news status as it would if there was a school shooting, with one fatality?

[Joe Boucher]

NO,
This was an informative article, telling all of us how every day life is in a Miami public school.
This is everyday poop down there man.

[MineralMan]

"Let's see, we have a school knifing here, with one fatality. Do you suppose it will reach the same national top-story news status as it would if there was a school shooting, with one fatality?"

Actually, it probably will. It's on the AP wire, as the post demonstrates, and a Google News search shows it on lots of other media.

It's a new story, and will spread widely.

[coloradan]

Being widely disseminated does not make it national, top-story status. The top 10 national stories from Reuters, for example, doesn't have it, although they did have 1-fatality school shootings in the past.

[MineralMan]

"Being widely disseminated does not make it national, top-story status. The top 10 national stories from Reuters, for example, doesn't have it, although they did have 1-fatality school shootings in the past."

---

Give it a bit of time. It's a fresh story.

[teeman8r]

... because the school was on spring break.

perhaps if the school were on Easter break, there would be less killing... taking God out of school allows the devil to rule... teeman

[coloradan]

It took maybe half an hour for shootings to make top-story status. And when they did, the type of gun used, mentions of gun control laws and other school shootings, and criticisms of the NRA were usually included. Quotes from Brady people were not uncommon either.

[Exigence]

Please, no charges for the guard.

It's too quick to jump to that conclusion. What if the boy was dying and not yet dead, for example? Sometimes response time makes a difference -- and no one should have to tell a security guard twice that there's someone dead in a restroom. Let's get the facts before we exonerate the guard, eh?

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

This premeditated murder happened at least 1-1/2 months ago. This was big news in the Republic of Panama because Jaime Rodrigo was a Panamanian citizen (no doubt dual citizenship).

Its still not known (here in Panama) why Michael Hernandez murdered Jaime because they were best friends, they were both making top grades, and they weren't running around with a raunchy crowd.

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

Its = It's. Sorry.

[eno_]

Yeah, can't a guy finish a donut!? I mean, jeez. Jump up, check for a corpse, yadda yadda. If I have another day like that I'll end up on disability.

[Sabatier]

LOL!

[the OlLine Rebel]

Come on people.

How many times do you ignore kids? Often w/good reason; it's the old "crying wolf" - or more accurately, making sick jokes on innocent people.

Yes, we don't know all the precise facts. But so far it's like maybe 10 minutes transpired.

This is not a big crime on the guard's part - I don't care what his job is. I'm sick of prosecuting people who are not criminals; it's like we're desparate to find SOMEONE to blame, esp. when we can't catch actual criminals. At worst, give him a slap on the wrist of a fine.

I'm sorry, but such persecution reminds me of victims (or indirect victims) blaming Bush, United Airlines, and the WTC architects for the 9-11 attacks. It's ludicrous and WRONG. No 2 ways about it. 2 wrongs don't make a right. It's childish, bratty, lashing-out tantrums at every1 for your bad circumstances. It's WRONG.

[eno_]

OK, so no prosecution.

When is the last timne a donut muncher got fired for dereliction of duty, or just plain being fat lazy and stoopid?