Pre-school principal charged with unlawful killing of boy, 2, who drowned in school pool

The principal of a Couva daycare facility has been charged with the unlawful killing (manslaughter) of two-year-old Romelu Drakes on March 16.

Drakes, of Balmain Road, Couva, fell into a pool at the pre-school at Esperanza Village.
On Friday, the police said the principal of the daycare facility, Alicia Bharath, 50, of Southern Main Road, Cunupia, was charged with the unlawful killing after deputy DPP Joan Honore-Paul gave advice on Thursday.

Bharath was arrested at her home on August 4, and was expected to appear before a Couva magistrate on Friday.

WPC Elliot of the Central Division laid the charge.

Bharath appeared before Couva magistrate Alexander Prince on Friday, but was refused bail. The matter was transferred to the First Court and will again come up for hearing on Monday.
At Friday’s hearing, Bharath’s attorney Rajiv Persad made an application for bail. However, Prince advised because of the way in which the charge was worded, he had no discretion to grant bail until the information was amended to reflect a charge of manslaughter which is a bailable offence.

Prince also advised the police prosecutor to consult the Director of Public Prosecutions on the matter.

Drakes, who would have turned three in April, had a speech delay and drowned in the pool at his speech therapy school run by Bharath.

He was the only child of his parents, Shion Drakes and Regine Phillip. To celebrate his birthday, the family released balloons to express their grief.

Romelu was named after his father’s favourite footballer, Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku.
On March 16, the staff at Romelu’s Esperanza Village school reportedly found him motionless and floating in an above-ground pool, which has a ladder, in the yard.

He was taken to the Couva district health facility, where doctors declared him dead. A post-mortem examination confirmed he died from drowning.