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Coroner: Did Akiel leave with you?

By FRANCIS JOSEPH

PATRICK YOUNG told a Coroner's Inquest yesterday that he did not leave the residence of Charles and Annelore James at 23 Balata Terrace, Haleland Park, Maraval, on May 23, 1998 with 11-year-old Akiel James.

Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls, presiding as Coroner asked, "did Akiel leave with you?" Young's reply was "no, certainly not." Young, an accounts executive, accompanied his son Mikhail and daughter to a party for Carrie James at Haleland Park on May 23, 1998. He did admit lending his son's bathing trunk to Akiel before he left the party. Young, who is married, said he met Akiel through his son, both of whom attended Blackman's Private School in Maraval. He admitted giving Akiel a drop from school on three occasions in the same month in which Akiel died. But he denied ever dropping Akiel to school on mornings. Although he worked at 119 Henry Street, Port-of-Spain, Young said he never knew that Akiel lived at 80-82 Henry Street. When asked where he used to drop Akiel, Young said it was at the corner of Park and Frederick Streets. Young was one of two witnesses to give evidence before Coroner Mc Nicolls in the Port-of-Spain Eighth Magistrates' Court yesterday. The other was another parent, Terrence Mc Clean, a supervisor with TT Post.

Desmond Allum SC and Rajiv Persad are looking after the interest of the Chambers' family, while Sgt Kenneth Cordner is the prosecutor. Hearing resumes on October 28. Young lives at Paradise Gardens, Tacarigua. He said on May 23, 1998, he took his son Mikhail and daughter to a birthday party for Carrie James at Haleland Park, Maraval. Young said he arrived there at 2.30 pm. They were greeted by party hostess Annelore James. At that time, there were about 25 to 30 children, some of whom were already in the swimming pool. He sat at the side of the pool and supervised the children. The Coroner wanted to know who asked Young to supervise the children. Young's reply was "nobody gave me that responsibility. My responsibility was for my children and the other children. There were no life guards available. Common sense told me to supervise the children. It was risky having children there unsupervised." Young said he was introduced to Akiel at his son's school some time before the party. On May 23, 1998, Young admitted speaking to Akiel on that day. He said Akiel approached his son and asked if he had a spare swim trunk. When told there was none, Akiel walked off. Young remembered seeing Akiel around the pool, but was sure that the boy was never in the water. By 5 pm, Mrs James was ready to stick the cake. By that time, Young said there were about 50 children and six parents, including Trevor Craigwell and Terrence Mc Clean. After the cake was stuck, Young said most of the children returned to the pool. "Mrs James was in the kitchen. She told me that she did not prepare for so many children and parents. She remained in the kitchen for most of the time. I can't recall seeing her around the pool."

Young said when the cake was stuck, he did not see Akiel. About 5.30 pm, Young told his son to come out of the pool as it was time to leave. "I telephoned my wife to tell her what time we would be coming. My wife was concerned that my children were at the pool party and that they could not swim. My children changed their clothes. Akiel came over to where we were sitting at the side of the pool and asked my son to use his swim trunk. Mikhail told him "you will have to ask my dad." Young said okay to which Akiel promised to return it the following Monday. He said Akiel took the trunk and walked across the pool to the changing room area. Young then told Mrs James that they were leaving. He said that around 6.30 pm, he received a call from Mrs James asking if Akiel left with him. "I said no. She said they were searching and they couldn't find him." Around 12.30 am, Young said someone from the Maraval Police Station called and asked him some "random" questions. When asked by the Coroner what were the questions, Young said he could not remember. "How could you not remember what the police asked you? Mc Nicolls asked. Young replied, "my father was killed two days before on the 21st by a maxi-taxi. An ex-con ran into my car. I had a lot on my mind to be remembering the questions." But Mc Nicolls was not impressed. He called on Young to try and remember the questions. Young said questions which the police asked were like, "what time he left the party, what time he reached home etc." Young said the police asked those questions because they were searching for Akiel.

The following day, Young said Craigwell called him to say that they found Akiel at the bottom of the pool. "My wife answered the phone and passed it to me. I turned pale." Young said the water in the swimming pool on May 23, 1998 was clear. He could have seen the bottom of the pool. The witness said he gave two statements to the police. On August 13, 1998, Young said PC Clive Alvarez came to his office with the swim trunks. "He asked me if this was the pants my son had on. I said yes. The conversation was short. That was it, really." Questioned by the court prosecutor, Young said he never asked Akiel if he could swim. He said there were at least 20 children in the pool who could not swim, including his son and daughter. Young said the parents at the party were drinking beer and Johnny Walker Black whiskey, contrary to what Mrs James said on Wednesday that only wine was being served. Questioned by Allum, Young said he did not find it odd that Akiel asked his son for his swim trunks. He said he left the party before Akiel was discovered missing. He said it was a surprise to hear that Mrs James stated that he (Young) was present when Akiel went missing. Young denied telling Mrs James that he lent his son's swim trunks to Akiel. "I don't know why Mrs James would invent that." He also denied assisting in the search for the missing boy. Before he completed his testimony, Young wanted one question answered. "Did Mrs James say what time I left the party?" Allum said according to the evidence from Mrs James, Young left 15 to 20 minutes after Akiel's aunt Valerie Pascall arrived. YOUNG: How could that be? She called my home at 6.39 pm. If I left the party at 6.20 pm, how could I reach El Socorro to answer that call? I was at home. If you get a copy of the TSTT print out you will see. Mrs James called me at home. I did not get a print out, but I got the information. Today is the first time I am hearing that I was at her home when Akiel was missing. I don't know how Mrs James could say that."

Run Patrick, run

PATRICK YOUNG spent 90 minutes yesterday giving evidence at the Coroner's Inquest into the death of 11-year-old Akiel Chambers. But his energies were not used up giving evidence in court. He used all he had by running almost a mile to escape from press photographers who were after him.

Young even ran into a food court on Edward Street; he dodged vehicles on the road, and he withstood the stares of the busy Port-of-Spain public, even calling the photographers "pap-arazzi" as he fled as far as Sacred Heart Girls' RC School on Park Street. Young remained in the corridor of the courthouse for 15 minutes before he decided to leave. In his attempt to escape from the photographers, Young took off his tie and put on a pair of huge dark shades. He quietly slipped out of the visitors' entrance of the Port-of-Spain Magi-strates' Court on St Vincent Street with his wife. But when he was spotted, Young beat a hasty retreat and moved faster than Trinidadian sprinter Darrel Brown at the World Athletics Cham-pionship.

From the moment he spotted the photographers, Young ran north along St Vincent Street, west along Park Street and south along Richmond Street. The witness headed east along Duke Street and north on Edward Street. He ran into the food court at Uptown Mall before he spotted the photographers again. Young dashed south along Edward Street, east along Duke Street before he disappeared once again. By that time, the photographers captured pictures of the runaway witness. Newsday's photographer Curtis Chase caught Young as he dashed through the streets of Port-of-Spain yesterday.

http://www.newsday.co.tt/stories.php?article_id=9296

Messages In This Thread

AKIEL CHAMBERS INQUEST *LINK*
Re: AKIEL CHAMBERS INQUEST *LINK*
James: Akiel did not drown in my pool *LINK*
One year after Akiel died... *LINK*
Coroner: Did Akiel leave with you?
Nobody drowns quietly
'I saw Akiel in the pool' *LINK*
Trinidad and Tobago News

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