East Bank Berbice teen missing since Sunday afternoon

- two persons arrested

Police during the search for the boy
Police during the search for the boy

An East Bank Berbice teenager went missing late Sunday afternoon after he left home to go and pick up two of his sisters from a birthday party in a nearby village. The teen was last seen riding on the Sisters Village, East Bank Berbice Public Road, wearing a brown pants.

The relatives of Leonard Archibald, 13, of Lot 51, Brothers Village, East Bank Berbice, have one goal in mind, locating their young relative unharmed.

Police questioned several persons before placing two under arrest. Stabroek News was reliably informed that one of the persons under arrest is known to have been interfering with “teen boys” in the area. After police launched an investigation, the man, who is a known drug addict in the community, and his friend, at whose house he would often hang out during the day, were placed under arrest.

A neighbour of one of the persons under arrest, who wishes to remain anonymous, noted that the night the lad went missing, the man in custody was observed to be acting in a “strange” manner. While another resident of the area chimed in, “We know he does catch lil boys and do them bad things, he does trouble them a lot.”

Meanwhile, the teen’s brother, Orin Archibald stated, “He [Leonard] went opposite the birthday we hear, and he end up lend somebody the bicycle, and then he friend come back and give he the bicycle, and he was standing in front the birthday. But when he sisters them come out, they walking coming, he left like about two minutes in front them riding.”

However, to everyone’s surprise, Leonard’s sisters arrived home before him. “Them ask where he dey, and the mother say he nah reach home, and then we send we next brother to look for he, and he nah see he nowhere from the road.”

Relatives, along with residents of the area, immediately launched a search party, however, they were unsuccessful in locating the lad.

Stabroek News visited the East Bank Berbice area yesterday morning, and saw one truck filled with residents of the community and police officers searching the entire area. A pair of adult slippers was discovered at the end of a dam which leads to the cane fields on the East Bank Berbice.

Abigail Archibald, Leonard’s mother, a member of the search party, told Stabroek News that she is “hoping and praying” for her son’s safe return home.

Abigail broke into tears while saying that she will continue to search until she finds her son.

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Leonard Archibald, a student of the Overwinning Primary School is asked to contact his relatives on telephone numbers 675 5416 or 626 0365 or the nearest police station.