Principal on manslaughter charge gets $250,000 bail

The principal of a Couva daycare facility, who is charged with the unlawful killing (manslaughter) of two-year-old Romelu Drakes on March 16, was granted bail on Monday.

Drakes, of Balmain Road, Couva, fell into a pool at the pre-school at Esperanza Village.

Last Fridayk, the police said the principal of the facility, Alicia Bharath, 50, of Southern Main Road, Cunupia, was charged with the unlawful killing after advice was given by deputy DPP Joan Honore-Paul on Thursday.

Bharath was arrested at her home on August 4, and appeared before Couva magistrate Alexander Prince, who refused bail and remanded her into the custody of the prison because of an issue with the wording of the charge. The matter was transferred to the First Court, where she reappeared through her lawyer on Monday, as she is in quarantine at the prison.

On Monday, Magistrate Christine Charles granted Bharath bail of $250,000.

WPC Elliot of the Central Division laid the charge.

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.

On March 16, the staff at the 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 revealed that he died from drowning.