Police send Fiona 2-page questionnaire

Police send Fiona 2-page questionnaire
Preetu Nair, TNN

PANAJI: With British teenager Scarlett Keeling's mother Fiona Mackeown reluctant to come to Goa fearing arrest, the Goa police have sent her a
two-page questionnaire and also requested her to be present for an inquiry into a complaint of neglect and failure to provide her daughter a safe environment, which ultimately led to the alleged rape and murder of the minor.

The Goa police, in a letter to Fiona, have sought to know whether she was "aware that Scarlett used to consume drugs/liquor," whether she was "visiting night clubs along with your children," if she was aware that "Scarlett was in love with Julio Lobo" or "Lobo in love with Scarlett" and that "Julio and Scarlett were visiting nightclubs." Fiona is yet to reply to the questionnaire.

When TOI contacted Fiona through an email in Devon, UK, she said, "I did not know Scarlett was taking drugs and am certain that she was not taking drugs when we were in England. Scarlet told me that she had once tried cannabis but did not like it."

Recently, her former boyfriend Robert Clarke, with whom she had come to Goa along with her children, had claimed that Fiona was warned about Scarlett's drug dealing by one of her older sons.

"Most of his statements to the press were lies. I am starting to have doubts about Rob as a person. He told me shortly after I returned home that he was still in contact with people at Curlies. He also claimed to have seen scratches on Julio's arms and neck the day after Scarlett died. Why didn't he share with me or the police this information," she said.

The police have also asked Fiona about her ex-boyfriend Robert Clark and his profession, as well as Fiona's source of income. Police have also asked Fiona why she left Scarlett alone in Goa and left for Gokarna. They asked, "whether you had asked Scarlett to stay in Goa or she had stayed as per her own wish."

Responding to this, Fiona said that Scarlett didn't really refuse to leave Goa. "She expressed her wish to stay and work with Julio. After many long discussions we compromised and agreed that she could stay as long as she shared some of her time in India with us. Julio was a very good actor and played the part of a responsible caring adult very well."

The police have specifically asked Fiona whether she knew Julio before she came to India and whether she was aware that Julio was looking after the day-to-day expenditure of Scarlett. They have also asked about one teenager called Shanti and whether Shanti had damaged Julio's vehicle as Scarlet was moving with him.

March 14, 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition