By Indarjit Seuraj Tuesday, August 25 2009

United States (US) citizen Paige Welch, 13, was expected to start the eighth grade next Monday, but since the boating accident in which her arm was nearly severed two Sundays ago, her teachers are yet to hear from her relatives.

“Her family hasn’t spoken to us since the incident,” principal of the Hampstead Middle School, Patti Grassbaugh said in a phone interview yesterday.

But Grassbaugh, who said she knew Paige personally, refused to comment further until hearing from Paige’s parents.

“We have not spoken to her family so we cannot comment,” she said.

Internet sources revealed Paige had received high honours for the final quarter of the 2008/9 school year at her school on 28 School Street, Hampstead in New Hampshire.

Paige, her mother Raquel Welch, 40, of New Hampshire, and 23-year-old cousin Lance Aqui, were seriously injured on August 16, during a kayaking expedition in Chaguaramas.

Paige’s left arm was almost severed during the incident and had to be surgically re-attached at Medical Associates private hospital in St Joseph that same day.

But after news last week that the teen might lose her limb, there has been no further information on whether doctors at the Boston Children’s Hospital were able to save it. Also, relatives in Trinidad to remain silent on Paige’s condition after the teen was flown back home to receive medical treatment.

Sources, however, confirmed that Raquel and Aqui were discharged from Medical Associates last weekend.

Raquel is expected to leave for the US where she will receive additional medical treatment.

Aqui is reportedly set to undergo physiotherapy on his ankle and would not be able to walk for several months.

Also, investigators are yet to take any action against the Army officer who was driving the pirogue which crashed into the trio.

Aqui, of Christina Gardens, Arima, was perched on the bow of his kayak, while giving instructions to his relatives.

It was reported that an Army private was steering the 28-foot pirogue Andelle and on reaching close to Scotland Bay, collided with the two-man kayak, carrying the three victims.

With its 200-horse power Yamaha outboard engine, the pirogue reportedly struck the left side of the kayak, sending the three relatives into the water.

The hull of the boat reportedly ripped the tiny kayak in half, with the engine propeller believed to have done most of the damage to the victims as they floated helplessly.

The Defence Force has also remained mum since the incident.

Acting Cpl Hannibal is investigating.