Kuto was born into a life of grief. His parents died when he was young, leaving him to fend for himself on the streets of Curaçao. He quickly learned how to pick pockets and steal food to survive. As he grew older, Kuto became a skilled thief and leader of a small gang of street kids.
One day, while Kuto and his gang were stealing from a merchant’s stall, they were caught by the owner. The man grabbed Kuto by the arm and threatened to turn him over to the authorities if he didn’t give up his ill-gotten gains. With no other choice, Kuto reluctantly handed over the stolen goods.
As punishment for his crimes, Kuto was forced to work for the merchant in order to pay off his debt. He hated every minute of it, but he knew it was better than being thrown in jail or worse.
After working long hours for little pay, Kuto finally saved enough money to buy himself a ticket out of Curaçao. He boarded a ship bound for America with nothing but the clothes on his back and dreams of starting anew.