'Some boys said Akiel walked down the road'

ANNELORE JAMES, who hosted the birthday party for her daughter Carrie, said when Akiel Chambers went missing, she had several theories as to what may have happened.

James said ''some boys made a remark that Akiel went walking down the road.'' She said other boys said someone came in a car and picked Akiel up. Another said that Akiel went next door at the home of Pastor Nelson to play with his grandchildren, but he (Akiel) stayed a few minutes before leaving that house. James said she found Akiel's clothes and sneakers on a chair in the porch near the kitchen. The items were identified by Akiel's aunt Valerie Pascall. James said she asked how could Akiel go walking down the road while his clothes remained on the chair? "Mr Young said he lent Akiel his son's red bathing trunks."

James, who now lives at Christina Gardens, Arima, said she hosted a birthday party for her daughter Carrie to celebrate her 11th birthday. There were 20 to 25 children from Blackman's Private School. "The only reason Akiel attended was because another student fell ill and there was an extra invitation so Akiel was invited," James told Coroner Sherman Mc Nicolls in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates' Court. James said her husband Charles knew about the party, they having discussed it prior to the event. She said the children started arriving shortly after 2 pm. She said when Akiel arrived, she introduced herself to the boy's aunt Valerie Pascall.

"When the parents came, I asked them if the children could swim, seeing it was a pool party. Valerie Pascall did not tell me anything. I assumed that since she did not say anything, I interpreted that Akiel was not allowed to swim or he did not want to swim." James said there were about seven to nine parents in attendance at the party. She placed some of the parents at the deep side of the pool to observe the children. The children changed their clothes and went into the pool. Akiel was walking around the pool. She said that appeared unusual because he was wearing all his clothes. From the kitchen window, James said she called Akiel inside the toy room. The parents started serving food around 4 pm. James offered Akiel a plate of food in the kitchen. When Akiel was finished, he returned to the toy room.

Around 5 pm, James said she started serving cake. She saw Akiel outside of the toy room. He was near the pool area talking to some of his friends. He was speaking to Craigwell's children and Young's son. She never saw Akiel in the pool. James said she discovered that Akiel was missing when his aunt arrived to collect him. "I looked for him. I called, the children called for Akiel. They checked in the back. Akiel knew the children next door where Pastor Nelson lives." After hearing that Akiel may have walked down the road, James said her daughter Chantal got into the car and went in search of him, but he was not found. "We looked all over, we looked in the pool. At that point, we could not see the bottom," James added. She will continue her evidence today.

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