Two charged over D'Souza children deaths miss court hearing

DUBAI // A chef and a restaurant manager charged with breaching hygiene standards which led to the deaths of two children failed to turn up for a court hearing this morning. The Nepalese cook, TR, 26, and his Filipino supervisor, ES, 34, had been due to appear for a hearing in the case at the Dubai Misdemeanours Court today. They were charged on March 1, along with the Lotus Garden restaurant in Al Qusais where they both worked and a female doctor, ET, who is accused of medical negligence. All four defendants deny the charges against them. ET, 47, an Iraqi doctor who works at the New Medical Center, appeared in the dock today. No evidence was heard and the case was adjourned to April 5, when forensic evidence is expected to be heard. Nathan and Chelsea D'Souza, aged five and seven respectively, died in June last year after eating a takeaway meal from the Lotus Garden. The Chinese restaurant, which denies any wrongdoing, was initially closed but Dubai Municipality allowed it to reopen three months later. Prosecutors claim that the meal the children consumed contained harmful bacteria after TR and ES stored the ingredients unhygienically. ET, who examined Nathan and Chelsea on the evening they were taken ill is accused of medical negligence which led to their deaths. Pathologists who carried out post-mortem examinations on the children are expected to present their findings at the next hearing on April 5. amustafa@thenational.ae