Two years and three months after their trial began in April 2024, members of the Qahal Yahweh religious group who were facing charges related to child endangerment walked free from the St James Parish Court on Wednesday after the court ruled that they had no case to answer.

Presiding Parish Court Judge Kaysha Grant-Pryce upheld a no-case submission made by defence attorneys Peter Champagnie, KC, and Samoi Campbell on behalf of the 16 defendants, who were charged under both the Child Care and Protection Act and the Education Act.

In making the no-case submission, Champagnie and Campbell argued that the evidence in relation to the charges was insufficient to establish a credible case against the 16 defendants — Christopher Anderson, Omar Thompson, Jevaughn Thompson, Nekeisha Harding, Derrick Clarke, Roanalee Maitland, Alicia Meadley, Fabian Nelson, Franchain Paris, Jodian Spence, Jose Foskin, Oral Spence, Rayon Letman, Ingrid Williams, Vera Woolery, and Melisha Thompson.