A 39-YEAR-OLD Latvian man has been charged over the death of a nine-year-old Co Antrim boy in a crash in Tenerife.
Carter Carson, from Newtownabbey, was hit by a car last Thursday and died on Friday.
The 39-year-old was remanded in custody last night.
He is charged with causing death by negligence and failing to stop to assist Carter at the scene.
A second Latvian man, aged 34, has been released on bail.
He also faces a charge of failing to help the victim of a road accident.
Carter was struck by a car close to a shopping centre in Adeje in the south of the island.
The arrested men are both residents of the island.
The two men appeared in court again yesterday after the case was suspended by a judge on Tuesday.
They were detained at the weekend after the car believed to have been involved in the incident was traced to them.
On Tuesday the judge in charge of the investigation told the court it had been “a very long day” following interviews with witnesses to the incident, including family members and people who chased after the car as it fled the scene.
Police said that the men, who are understood to work in the construction industry, had refused to give a statement.
Arrangements were last night still being made for bringing the young boy’s body, with a fund set up in his memory already raising almost £13,000 towards the costs.
A book of condolence was opened at Carter’s school yesterday.
Friends were able to visit Abbots Cross Primary School in Newtownabbey to leave tributes. The school said it was also an opportunity for pupils, parents and the community to “spend some time together”.
Tributes from his school have described him as a “quiet, hardworking boy with lovely manners and a gentle, caring nature”.
“He loved a game of football and was an enthusiastic member of our school running club and our football club,” the school said.
“He was recently awarded star pupil of the month and no-one had a bigger smile than Carter when he received his star pupil award.”
18th Newtownabbey Youth FC, where Carter played football, also said it was “with deepest condolences and heavy hearts” that they learned of his death.
The South Belfast Youth League, in which Carter played, also said that “as a mark of respect” it was cancelling all 2008 games on Saturday adding that “these are sad times, this is when football should be united as one”.
