Boy, 14, reportedly drowned

Emmanuel Downer, 14, a student of Lancaster Secondary School in Mahaica, who was residing at Lot 50 Haslington Village, East Coast Demerara, is reported to have drowned. The incident occurred at approximately 16:00 hrs on 26 March 2025 at Unity Beach, Mahaica.
According to a police report, investigations so far have revealed that the teenager, along with three other students, left school in the afternoon and proceeded to Unity Beach, where they went swimming in the Atlantic Ocean.
One of the students told investigators that they all entered an old freezer, and while drifting out into the water, the freezer capsized, after which Downer suddenly disappeared.
One of the students contacted Downer’s mother, Elisha Dailey, and informed her of the incident. As a result, a report was made to the Cove and John Police Station, leading to the formation of a search party.
Downer’s body was discovered approximately 500 metres away from the shore on a sandbank in the Atlantic, entangled in a fishing seine. The scene was processed and photographed. No visible marks of violence were observed.
The body was taken to Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, awaiting a post-mortem examination. Statements were taken, and investigations are ongoing.