No investigation into mother of murdered Goa teenager
Wednesday, 12 Mar 2008 11:42
Scarlett Keeling was found dead on February 18th
The mother of a teenager murdered in Goa is not to be investigated, local police have confirmed.
Reports yesterday suggested that Fiona Keeling was to be investigated for neglect following the death of her 15-year-old daughter.
Scarlett Keeling was found dead on Anjuna beach on February 18th.
She had been left with her boyfriend's family while her mother and sisters travelled around the neighbouring region for three weeks.
Local police have been criticised for their handling of the investigation into the British teenager's death after initially claiming she had drowned.
They have since charged a 29-year-old man with raping Scarlett, though not her murder.
Ms Keeling has claimed that reports that she was to be investigated for neglect were an attempt by the police to shift the focus from the crime.
"I feel responsible for being too trusting, I certainly don't feel I was negligent," she said.
"I must have rocked their boat and they're trying to change the focus. It's worrying because I don't understand the system here."
She claimed that she had been in constant contact with her daughter while she was away and thought she had left her in capable hands.
"I was always in touch with her on the phone on the days she wasn't with us. She was with good people, who we believe would look after her."
Ms Keeling has now written to India's prime minister to ask him to help find out the truth about her daughter's death.
In the letter to Dr Manmohan Singh she said: "I am certain they will try their best to implicate somebody to treat this crime in isolation, while ignoring the larger and more important matter of this criminal nexus.
"My daughter has been murdered and nothing will bring her back to life.
"Your timely intervention now would ensure the tourists coming here and the people of Goa retain their faith in the state and administration."