(Trinidad Express) – School principal Alicia Bharath was on Monday granted $250,000 bail after being charged in relation to the drowning death of two-year-old Romelu Drakes.
Bharath, 50, of Cunupia, on Monday faced Couva senior magistrate Christine Charles for the alleged unlawful killing of the toddler on March 16, 2021.
The wording of the charge was raised at her court appearance last Friday but yesterday it was agreed that the charge against Bharath was manslaughter.
Bharath, a speech therapist, was not present for the virtual court appearance as she was in quarantine at the Women’s Prison after being remanded into custody on Friday. It is a Covid-19 procedure at the prison that anyone entering the system for the first time is placed in a separate location from the rest of the prison population.
During the virtual hearing, defence attorney Rajiv Persad applied for bail for Bharath. The attorney, who filed documents in relation to the matter, added that the offence was a bailable one.
Police prosecutor Sgt Ramjitsingh said Bharath could be located by the police if needed but asked that she surrender her passport, should bail be considered.
The magistrate placed her on $250,000 bail with her cousin as surety. The condition of bail imposed however was that she has to report to the senior police officer at the Couva police station within 72 hours should she be changing her address.
The matter was adjourned to September 6.
Drakes reportedly fell into a pool on the compound of a Couva educational institution and he was pronounced dead at the Couva Health Facility. An autopsy revealed he died from drowning.
Bharath was arrested at her home last Wednesday and charged following advice from deputy Direc-tor of Public Prosecutions Joan Honore-Paul. The charge was laid by constable Elliot.
Bharath was also represented by attorney Patrice Adolphus.
