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Goa mother appeals to Indian PM | Goa mother appeals to Indian PM |
(40 minutes later) | |
The mother of a British teenager who died in Goa has asked the Indian prime minister to help her find out the truth about the 15-year-old's death. | The mother of a British teenager who died in Goa has asked the Indian prime minister to help her find out the truth about the 15-year-old's death. |
Local police originally said Scarlett Keeling had drowned when she was found on a beach in Anjuna last month but a man has now been charged with rape. | Local police originally said Scarlett Keeling had drowned when she was found on a beach in Anjuna last month but a man has now been charged with rape. |
Fiona MacKeown, 43, said Goan authorities were trying to shift the focus from the crime to her neglect. | Fiona MacKeown, 43, said Goan authorities were trying to shift the focus from the crime to her neglect. |
She denied she neglected her daughter but said she had been "too trusting". | She denied she neglected her daughter but said she had been "too trusting". |
She was in good hands with people who cared for her Fiona MacKeown | |
"I feel responsible for being naive and too trusting. I certainly do not feel I was negligent," she said. | "I feel responsible for being naive and too trusting. I certainly do not feel I was negligent," she said. |
"She was in good hands with people who cared for her. I felt she was in a good family atmosphere." | "She was in good hands with people who cared for her. I felt she was in a good family atmosphere." |
Ms MacKeown, who lives near Bideford in Devon, has written to Dr Manmohan Singh to ask for his help, saying she has no faith in the local police. | Ms MacKeown, who lives near Bideford in Devon, has written to Dr Manmohan Singh to ask for his help, saying she has no faith in the local police. |
In the letter 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." | "Your timely intervention now would ensure the tourists coming here and the people of Goa retain their faith in the state and administration." |
JP Singh, chief secretary to the government of Goa, said media coverage of the case had overlooked basic facts including that the 15-year-old had been left alone and had a history of drug abuse. | |
'Very caring' | |
Ms McKeown left her daughter in the care of a 25-year-old tour guide while she and her six other children went to the neighbouring state of Karnataka. | |
"I think I was probably naive and too trusting of the people around her," she said. | |
"That's probably the worst thing I've done. I don't think I was negligent in any other way. | |
"She was with somebody who was a very caring person who treated her like a niece. | "She was with somebody who was a very caring person who treated her like a niece. |
"He made her go to bed on time and made sure she ate healthy foods and drank orange juice instead of Coca Cola. | "He made her go to bed on time and made sure she ate healthy foods and drank orange juice instead of Coca Cola. |
"She wasn't left. She regularly joined us down the coast at other beaches we were camping on." | |
'Flippant remark' | |
Ms MacKeown also defended the fact Scarlett had not been in school, saying her daughter was receiving a "wonderful education" in the beautiful country of India. | |
Ms MacKeown said Goan police had not yet questioned her about her daughter's care. | |
"The only suggestion was a flippant remark made on television," she said. | |
"They haven't asked to me to come in and make a statement." | |
Samson D'Souza, a local 29-year-old man, has been charged with rape but not with Miss Keeling's killing. | |
He appeared in court on Monday and was remanded in custody for 14 days. |