‘I’m waiting to give Scarlett a decent burial’

SEEKING JUSTICE
‘I’m waiting to give Scarlett a decent burial’
Preetu Nair | TNN

Panaji: Almost eight months after British teenager Scarlett Keeling was found dead on the Anjuna beach, her mother says that she is still waiting to give a decent burial to her daughter. Though sad that her daughter’s body is still lying in a morgue in the UK, she stated that she doesn’t feel guilty about the delay.
“The British coroner has informed us that he can’t release Scarlett’s body until the toxicology tests are performed and they get the results. These tests are taking a long time as many organs were missing from Scarlett’s body,” said Fiona, speaking to TOI from her home in Devon, UK.
She said that she doesn’t feel guilty about not being able to bury Scarlett. “At the moment it is not in my hands. But
I do feel sad that people who loved her haven’t been able to say goodbye to her,” said Fiona.
The semi-naked body of Scarlett, 15, from Devon, was found on February 19 after she had been raped and murdered. After two forensic autopsies in Goa Medical College and hospital, Bambolim, Fiona had taken Scarlett’s body to the UK for a third autopsy, where the doctor of the coroner’s court in Devon, UK, revealed that Scarlett’s kidneys, stomach and uterus were missing. The forensic doctors at GMC had stated that the organs were preserved for tests.
“The coroner has written to the Goa government asking for information about the organs. Even I have written to the CBI requesting them to return Scarlett’s organs so that we can give her a decent burial. I believe that the organs would eventually be returned,” she said.
Incidentally, though Fiona has all the necessary permissions to come to India and help the CBI in its investigations, she is not eager to arrive in Goa. She has been postponing her trips as a case has been filed against her for being a negligent mother by a Utt Goenkara spokesperson.

October 6, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition