Leaked Messages to Minor Spark Outrage
A father has publicly released WhatsApp messages exchanged between political hopeful Lawrence Wheatley and his 13-year-old daughter, sparking widespread community concern over child safeguarding. The revelations have intensified discussions surrounding public trust, school access, and pending legislative protections in the Virgin Islands. Wheatley was reportedly eyeing an At-Large run in the 2027 General Election and had frequently engaged students at Claudia Creque Educational Centre.
The release of private WhatsApp communications between an adult political hopeful and a 13-year-old girl has prompted serious community concern and intensified discussions regarding child safeguarding in the British Virgin Islands. The individual involved has been identified as Lawrence 'Bunchie' Wheatley, who was reportedly seeking to contest the upcoming 2027 General Election as an At-Large candidate for the Virgin Islands Party.
Screenshots released publicly by the child's father show an exchange where Wheatley asked the minor for her age. After she stated she was 13 years old, the conversation continued with requests that the discussion remain secret, alongside expressions of personal attraction. When the child later indicated that she did not wish to speak, Wheatley acknowledged the response.
In a public statement, the father shared his anger and recounted confronting Wheatley directly, stating that he sought to hold him accountable for his actions. The matter has drawn particular attention to Wheatley’s access to students at the Claudia Creque Educational Centre on Anegada, where his wife teaches and where he had previously delivered presentations and distributed treats.
Community members and advocates have highlighted that while community involvement in schools is common, maintaining strict adult-child boundaries and robust institutional safeguarding protocols is critical to ensuring child safety. These developments coincide with renewed territory-wide dialogue on child protection frameworks and the proposed establishment of a Sex Offenders Registry, recently championed in the House of Assembly by At-Large Representative Stacy Mather.
The Government has also engaged in public consultations regarding the proposed Sexual Offences Bill, which seeks to strengthen provisions against inappropriate communications with minors and abuses of positions of trust. Following the release of the messages, Wheatley's profile was quietly removed from the schedule of the upcoming 2026 BVI Ideas Festival, where he was slated to speak.
While the published messages raise significant safeguarding questions, formal determinations regarding criminal wrongdoing remain the responsibility of relevant authorities. The incident continues to prompt public discussions on the heightened accountability required of individuals seeking public office and interacting with youth.
Primary source: Guavaberry