AKIEL CHAMBERS INQUEST *LINK*

12 hours after he went missing... 'Akiel's body floats up in pool...just so'

By FRANCIS JOSEPH

Twelve hours after Akiel Chambers went missing, his schoolfriend Carrie James was bathing in the swimming pool at her Haleland Park, Maraval home, with two other friends. Carrie said the pool was clear and there was no body in it.

At the inquest into Akiel's death yesterday, Carrie said she got out of the pool, had breakfast and went to the front of her house to play. Ninety minutes later, police arrived at her house and one of the policemen looked into the pool and shouted "look, look, it right there." When Carrie looked, she saw Akiel's body in a crouched position floating in the deep end of the pool. She started to cry and her mother called her inside the house. Carrie was certain that when she was in the pool 90 minutes earlier, that body was not there. Carrie, 16, a student in Canada, flew into Trinidad to testify at the inquest into the death of 11-year-old Akiel Chambers who was found floating in the pool on May 24, 1998. The inquest is being heard before Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls, presiding as Coroner, at the Port-of-Spain Magistrates' Court.

http://www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/forum/webbbs_config.pl?md=read;id=1226

Coroner anxious for testimony —— Waiting for Mr Craigwell
FRANCIS JOSEPH Wednesday, November 19 2003


CORONER Sherman Mc Nicolls said yesterday that he will not close the Akiel Chambers Inquest until the court has had the opportunity to hear the testimony of Trevor Craigwell and his son Christopher who are reported to be living in Conneticut, in the United States.

http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,11848.html

What about anal swab, black underwear?
Wednesday, November 19 2003


SENIOR COUNSEL Desmond Allum inquired yesterday about the anal swab and the black underwear worn by 11-year-old schoolboy Akiel Chambers and which was submitted to the Forensic Science Centre in 1998 for analysis.

http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,11851.html

Witness recounts

Strange things at Akiel’s death scene





UNSOLVED MYSTERIES



The track at Balata Terrace, Maraval, where Carrie James and two other girls went in search of the missing Akiel Chambers on May 23, 1998. PHOTO: FRANCIS JOSEPH

By Francis Joseph

Another witness has come forward, saying strange things occurred at the scene where Akiel Chambers died more than ten years ago.

The witness, who shall be identified only as Mr X for now, was visiting Maraval on the weekend of May 23, 1998, when Akiel, aged 11, attended a birthday party at Haleland Park and disappeared.

His body surfaced the following day and, according to the autopsy performed on the body, Akiel was smothered to death. He was also sexually molested.

Mr X says his life is at risk if he speaks out openly, but he is willing to give the police a full statement if it could assist in reopening the case.

This is the story which Mr X gave on Thursday:

“I remember that Saturday afternoon as if it was yesterday. I was visiting my family at Balata Terrace in Maraval. I remember there was a party on the street. Even my niece was supposed to go, but she didn’t. I heard it was at the home of Charles James, the man who owns race horses and who sells rice.

“That afternoon, I sat in the porch having a few drinks. Every now and then, I walked to the side of the house and saw the children splashing in the pool; they were having a good time. There were also several adults around the pool and it seemed everyone was having a great time.

“I left and went out and I returned just after 5 pm. Some time after that I saw a lady arrive in a taxi. It was strange to see a taxi up here. I kept looking at her as she walked into the yard. A few minutes later, Mr James’ daughter, Carrie, and two friends went up a track. I thought they were playing hide and seek, or they were looking for a dog.

“They came back within minutes and went back to the party. As the place got dark, I saw a police vehicle come up the hill and stop next door. I thought nothing about it, even though I saw a policeman walk around the yard next door.

“The police vehicle and the lady who came with the taxi all left. Up to that point, I did not know that anything was wrong. About 11 o’clock, the police came back again with the same lady. I saw a red-skinned policeman, with a small net searching the pool where the party was held. I thought he was looking for a watch, a bracelet, or a ring, so small was the net. That search lasted a short time and everybody left. Then the entire area by the pool was thrown into darkness. I thought at first that current had gone, but it would seem that someone took out the lights around the pool and inside the pool.

“I got up early the following morning and while outside, I heard children playing in the pool next door. I walked around to the side of the house and saw the same Carrie James and two other girls playing in the pool. The pool was crystal clear. While they were in the pool, I saw this white lady, whom I was later told was Mrs James, call out to Carrie and her friends telling them the eggs were getting cold. It was breakfast time.

“The three girls got out of the pool and headed inside. I looked at the pool and there was just a white towel to the top of the pool. Mrs James then came out and started to put chlorine in the pool. She walked around the pool putting the chlorine. She even picked up leaves from around the pool. But the pool remained very clear despite the chlorine.

“A police vehicle came again, this time with three policemen. Policeman A walked in and met Mrs James. He said, ‘I am investigating a report of a missing boy. When last did you see this boy?’ Mrs James replied, ‘He was last seen around 5.30, sitting over there eating.’

“Policeman A then looked at the pool and say ‘Look the boy over there’. He then called on his two colleagues sitting in the vehicle and said ‘We find the boy, call it in.’ Policeman B who was sitting in the vehicle came out and said ‘That is stupidness, I searched that pool last night and there was no boy in it.’

“Policeman A told Policeman C to take Policeman B back to the station and report that the boy was found. Policeman A and Mrs James went into the house. Carrie came out and started to cry. I went towards the pool and to my amazement, I saw the body of a little boy in the water. He was in a crouched position and he was wearing a red pants.

“I was in shock because I asked myself, where did this boy come from? I was watching the pool when Mrs James was putting the chlorine, there was nobody in that pool? There was no body there the night before. The only explanation I can give is that this boy dropped out from the sky.

“I think two policemen came and took the boy’s body out of the pool. That happened ten years ago. But this is still affecting me. I have been reading and following the events in this matter. I want to say that the policeman whose photograph was published in the newspapers saying he searched the pool on the night when the boy went missing, was not the policeman I saw searching the pool. Maybe he was around, but it was a red-skinned policeman who searched the pool that night.”

“From where I was sitting that afternoon, if anyone wandered down the hill, I would have seen that person. I never saw any boy walk past where I was. I also remember reading what the pathologist found. He found no food in the boy’s stomach when he performed the autopsy. But I remember people saying that Akiel was eating up to 5 pm. It takes at least six hours for food to digest, so if no food was found in Akiel’s stomach, that means he could have still been alive at 11 o’clock that night.”

See Part 4 tomorrow
http://www.socawarriors.net/forum/index.php?topic=38137.0

AKIEL CHAMBERS...life snuffed out.

BY FRANCIS JOSEPH

Last week, the Guardian published Part 1 of this story concerning the death of 11-year-old Akiel Chambers who was found floating in a pool at the home of Charles and Annelore James at Haleland Park, Maraval, on May 24, 1998. The first part dealt with Akiel being told not to bathe in the pool at a party for the James’ 11-year-old daughter, Carrie.

No one saw Akiel bathe in the pool, but when his body mysteriously surfaced the following day, Akiel was wearing a man’s swimming trunks.

Two post-mortems were conducted and a coroner’s inquest held, but we are no where close to finding the man who snuffed Akiel’s life out. Who was the man who sexually molested Akiel? Would we ever know. Last week, a parent came forward to tell her story.

The Mystery parent

A parent who was present at the party when Akiel Chambers disappeared and later turned up dead, has come forward, saying she no longer sleeps properly and hopes that the boy’s killer will be found.

She never wanted to get involved, even though she saw some strange things on that fateful evening at Haleland Park, Maraval.

The woman wants to remain anonymous, but ever since the Unsolved Mysteries series started, it inspired her to say something, against the wishes of her husband.

The woman’s story goes like this:

“I attended that party at the James’ house because my son was a friend of Carrie James. I had originally planned on leaving my son there, but I have this weird thing about pool parties. I had to go to the mall for something, but as if God was telling me something, I stayed at the house for the entire evening.

“I mingled with the other parents and I assisted Mrs James, the hostess. I did not know the boy who was called Akiel. It was after he died and his picture appeared in the newspapers, that I remembered him. How did I remember him?

“There was this boy, looking somewhat frustrated at not being able to bathe in the pool. I remember asking him why he was not bathing. He said he was given strict instructions from his aunt that he was not to bathe. You know how boys are? He was looking at the other children in the pool who were having a good time.

“I never knew his name, but he seemed shy and you had to literally beg him to eat and drink something near the pool. As I look back ten years, I remember this guest was showing particular interest in the boy. It was obvious to all that they were not related, but this man was behind this little boy. If the boy went inside to use the washroom, this man was following him. I thought nothing about it until everything started to unfold. If I had only known, I may have intervened, but there was nothing strange at the time.

“There was a time when the boy went inside and never came back out. I was there when his aunt returned for him and he was no where to be found. I was there when everyone was searching. I knew for a fact there was no one in the pool that night. How in heaven’s name the boy was found in the pool the next morning?

“Even the man who was following the boy was searching too. But you know something, no one searched inside the house, they searched around the house, next door, down the road, and even made calls to others who had left. Why didn’t anyone search upstairs the house, not even the police went upstairs when they came that night.”

One of the parents who was present at the party was Trevor Craigwell, who now lives in Connecticut, USA.

At the inquest hearing before Coroner Sherman Mc Nicolls, Craigwell cried, his voice cracked and he asked for a glass of water as he recounted the events surrounding the disappearance and death of Akiel. “It was very sad for my wife and I. It is very emotional for me to relive it. A child died in a pool when I was supervising. It is very emotional, I know how precious they are, I have four kids, it is a very difficult time,” Craigwell said as he wiped his eyes with a handkerchief. Craigwell insisted that he and Mrs Annelore James were not friends, although his statement to the police on May 23, 1998, stated otherwise. “That is a mistake, we are not friends,” Craigwell told the Coroner’s inquest.

Craigwell said he went to the James’ residence around 3.20 pm on May 23, 1998 to attend a birthday party for Carrie James. He went there with his three sons, Christopher 10, Anthony, seven, and Nathaniel, five. He said when he arrived at the James’ residence, he saw children bathing in the pool. “I took the responsibility of supervising the kids. There was no prior arrangement for the supervision of the kids. There were about 25 to 28 kids, while there were three parents.”

Craigwell said he sat on a chair at the side of the pool, which he described as dirty. He said he was unable to see the bottom of the pool.

He insisted there were no alcoholic beverages at the party. He said that around 5 pm, the children were called out of the pool to stick the cake. He remained outside as parents started arriving to collect their children. He said one parent, a woman, came and asked for Akiel. “I did not observe Akiel for the entire afternoon. There were about 28 kids in the pool. I agree there was not proper supervision. But priority began with my kids. The supervision wasn’t done properly because a child went missing.”

Craigwell said a search was carried out by the children and parents, for Akiel. Asked by the Coroner of his relationship with Patrick Young, another parent, Craigwell replied, “he was not a good friend. He was a customer in my store. He loved my ties, but I can’t remember how many he bought. I can’t say if he bought other items.” Craigwell said while the children were searching for Akiel, Mrs James called parents who had left to find out if Akiel left with them. Craigwell said he eventually left around 7.45 pm, leaving behind his home telephone number in the event that Akiel was found. The US-based witness said he received a call around midnight from the Maraval police who wanted to know if he knew anything about the missing boy. “As a concerned parent, it was hard for me to sleep that night. It was difficult.”

The following day, around 6.15 am, he returned to Haleland Park. “My wife told me to go and look in the bushes opposite the James’ residence. She told me to go and see if something had happened. I searched the bushes, there is a mountain area. After half an hour, I went to the market and then I went home. When I got home, my wife told me that Mrs James had called and said they found a body.”

Craigwell said he and his wife went to the James’ residence. On their arrival, Craigwell said he saw the police. He saw something red in the pool and then the police retrieved a body. “Mrs James was crying, she was totally traumatised. She kept saying “Akiel is in the pool, Akiel is in the pool.”

(Part 3 next week)

What happened since

On February 5, 2006, Annelore James, 59, lost her leg when she stopped to help an accident victim on the Solomon Hochoy Highway.
Trevor Craigwell, a businessman who accompanied his sons, Anthony and Christopher, to the 1998 pool party, migrated in 2003 to Connecticut, USA. Christopher currently faces a murder charge after allegedly pummeling his grandfather, Morris King Sr, 80, who went into a coma during what police call a “drug-induced rage” at King’s Putney area, Connecticut, home on February 6 this year.

http://legacy.guardian.co.tt/archives/2008-08-09/news1.html