Philipsburg:--- The murder of two months old baby Mark Reid of Middle Region has left the entire community in shock and despair. Residents of Middle Region told SMN News that they do not know how to describe the murder of baby Reid because the accident involving the main murder suspect Dalton Le Blanc took place a good distance from where the Reids live. According to information reaching SMN News, the suspect Dalton Le Blanc was involved in an accident not far away from Wing Li Supermarket on Middle Region main road. Le Blanc then left the scene of the accident and went behind Wing Li Supermarket where the Reids live and broke into their home which is located on the lower flat of a two storey house. Based on the information provided to SMN News, Le Blanc broke a glass window next to the main entrance door and entered the apartment where baby Reid and his mother were sleeping. At the time of the incident, the woman and her baby were alone at home since her partner was at work. SMN News learnt that the baby's mother woke up and saw the man inside her house and she left the apartment in order to seek help to get Le Blanc out of her home but by the time she returned to the apartment Le Blanc had already snatched the baby who was asleep and killed him on the main road not far from the accident scene. It is reported that the suspect (Le Blanc) was at the Defiance Heaven Night Club where he had an altercation. However, management of Defiance Haven Night Club said in an invited comment that the man (Le Blanc) broke the back gate of the establishment and went inside the club and stayed for about two to three minutes. According to the camera surveillance system and a security guard at Defiance Heaven, Le Blanc broke the padlock and entered the property at 11:12 pm. The man did not have on any shirt when he entered the property and it appeared as though he was running from someone. A member of the management team said that the man already had a black eye; he did not have on a shirt when he entered the club and his skin was untidy. "When the man was leaving, the security guard at Defiance Heaven Night Club approached the man and asked him what he was doing there and he ran to his car and drove off at high speed. It appears as though Le Blanc was running from someone or he fought with someone because it is also rumored that he was at the L' Esperansa Bar in Middle Region."
SMN News reporter visited the home of the Reids on Wednesday and saw the broken window where the suspect gained entry to the home but the parents of baby Reid were not home to comment on the gruesome murder of their child.
It is believed that Le Blanc must have flipped or lost his mind Tuesday night but that could not be ascertained.
Murder Suspect has no Mental Illness Background --- Reliable Sources.
The man who killed baby Reid around midnight Tuesday has been identified as Dalton Le Blanc, a St. Maartener with Dominican parentage who works as a security guard for Sheriff Security for the past seven years. SMN News has been reliably informed that Le Blanc was stationed at the Simpson Bay Yacht Club for a long period of time because the management of the Yacht Club requested that he be placed there permanently due to his good performance. Sources close to Sheriff Security said that Le Blanc is known to be a quiet and respectable worker and has never shown any signs of violence or erratic behavior. "His actions have left the entire community of St. Maarten, especially his co-workers and those at Simpson Bay Yacht Club in severe shock. No one seems to understand what happened to Le Blanc."
While it is widely reported that the suspect might be suffering from some sort of mental disease, SMN News learnt that Le Blanc went through a series a physiological and psychiatric tests in the Dominican Republic so that he could obtain custody of his child that was living in that country.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Police Department in conjunction with the Prosecutor's Office issued the following press release.
Man arrested in connection with the death of a baby.
On Tuesday April 2nd at approximately 11:30pm, several police patrols were sent to Basseterre Drive for a home break-in. On the scene the investigating officers were informed that the suspect had fled the scene possibly in a vehicle.
While on the scene, the officers heard a very loud sound coming from the Middle region road. They immediately went to Middle Region road where the loud sound came from and encountered a white Toyota vehicle that had struck and destroyed the concrete wall of a house on that road next to a Supermarket.
During the investigation of the traffic accident, the police saw a man approaching them who was possibly the driver of the vehicle. The officers noticed also that this man was carrying something in his hand but because of the darkness they could not identify what this object was. The object turned out to be a baby. The baby at that moment was not giving any sign of life.
Immediately the officers struggled with this man to subdue him. The Police Central Dispatch was informed of the situation and the Paramedics were immediately sent to treat the infant who was already not showing any sign of life. The suspect with initials D. Le B. from the island of Dominica (26) was arrested on the scene and taken to the police department in Philipsburg. The Detective Department and Forensic Department were informed of the situation and immediately came to the scene and started to collect evidence on the scene. Dr. Douglas who arrived shortly after pronounced the death of the victim. The body of the infant victim with initials M.A.R. Jr., two months old was confiscated for further investigation.
This case is still in its preliminary stages and is being investigated by the Detective Department who along with the Forensic Department are putting the pieces together. At this time we cannot give any more information and when it becomes available the media will be informed.
KPSM Police Report