Akiel may have been smothered

AKIEL CHAMBERS INQUEST —— DAY 5

PATHOLOGIST Dr Hughvon Des Vignes said yesterday that he cannot rule out that 11-year-old Akiel Cham-bers was smothered to death during sexual intercourse. Smother-ing, he added, happens when one suffocates because the nose and mouth are obstructed by something or someone. He said based on all the information now available to him and the photographs tendered into evidence, it was still possible however, that Akiel could have died by drowning. In his evidence on Monday, Dr Des Vignes said he cannot say for sure how Akiel died. However, a post-mortem report compiled by the pathologist was tendered into evidence yesterday. In his conclusion, Dr Des Vignes said, “ I am of the opinion that Akiel Chambers, an 11-year-old boy died by drowning.”

When asked by the Coroner how he arrived at that decision, Dr Des Vignes said he interviewed Cpl Husbands and PC Clive Alvarez, who were attached to the Maraval Police Station. “They gave me certain information which I accepted. This weighed heavily in my initial conclusion as to the cause of death.” The pathologist continued, “Cpl Husbands informed me that there was significant fine white foamy froth at the mouth and nose of the deceased in the immediate period following recovery of the body. PC Alvarez gave me information that there was marked breaking of the hands and feet which is described as ‘washer woman hands and feet.’ Dr Des Vignes said based on this information he was of the opinion that the most likely cause of death was drowning. He said a pathologist comes to a conclusion based on information that is available. He accepted that the presence of the foamy substance pointed to drowning. This, he added, came from the police.

Dr Des Vignes was the only witness to testify yesterday in the inquest into the death of Akiel Chambers, whose body was found in the swimming pool of Charles and Annelore James at 23 Balata Terrace, Haleland Park, Maraval, on May 24, 1998. Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls, presiding as Coroner, is hearing the inquest at the Port-of-Spain Eighth Magis-trates’ Court. Desmond Allum SC and Kenneth O’Brien are looking after the interest of the Chambers’ family, while the court prosecutor is Sgt Kenneth Cordner. Hearing was adjourned to October 14. Questioned by Allum, Dr Des Vignes said that Dr Neville Jankey, who performed the first post-mortem did not open the body. He said he did not find any significant amount of water in the lungs. But he did find 125 ml of pinkish, brown fluid which Akiel had digested about two hours before death. Dr Des Vignes said he could not determine conclusively whether Akiel was dead when his body first went into the swimming pool of the James’ residence.

On the issue of spermatozoa being found in the anus of the boy, Dr Des Vignes said as a pathologist, it was his duty to raise the matter where the issue was one of illicit sexual activity. He said the bruising on the knee and the discovery of the sperm in the anus must be significant as it demonstrated that Akiel may have been kneeling on a surface at the time the act was carried out. Asked by Sgt Cordner if he took samples from the swimming pool for testing, Dr Des Vignes said that was not his function. What about the swabs taken from Akiel’s anus, the pathologist said if they were available, it would have been possible to extract a DNA analysis from it. He said if the body was to be exhumed, no DNA testing could be done because all the tissues would be decomposed. The Coroner asked that Carrie James, 16, who is now attending school in Canada, be brought back to testify on the next occasion. Her father Charles James said he is prepared to spend $7,000 to bring her back in the interest of justice.