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| Family of April Jones find solace in memories of beloved girl | Family of April Jones find solace in memories of beloved girl |
| (4 months later) | |
| The family of April Jones has endured some tough milestones: the first Christmas without her, the spring day when she would have turned six, and the harrowing trial of the man who abducted and murdered her. | The family of April Jones has endured some tough milestones: the first Christmas without her, the spring day when she would have turned six, and the harrowing trial of the man who abducted and murdered her. |
| There will be many more to come, not least the time when April's only remains – a few fragments of bone found in Mark Bridger's wood burner – will be returned, but those close to the couple say the pair have stayed strong for the sake of their other children and because they want to see justice done. | There will be many more to come, not least the time when April's only remains – a few fragments of bone found in Mark Bridger's wood burner – will be returned, but those close to the couple say the pair have stayed strong for the sake of their other children and because they want to see justice done. |
| Detective Sergeant Hayley Heard, one of the two family liaison officers who have been at the side of Paul and Coral Jones since April vanished, said: "Their lives have changed forever. I don't know if they will ever be able to move on or get closure. But I think because they have got other children they have to carry on." | Detective Sergeant Hayley Heard, one of the two family liaison officers who have been at the side of Paul and Coral Jones since April vanished, said: "Their lives have changed forever. I don't know if they will ever be able to move on or get closure. But I think because they have got other children they have to carry on." |
| The couple have sat in court throughout Bridger's trial, even staying in the public gallery when the explicit images of child sexual abuse found on the killer's laptop were shown. | The couple have sat in court throughout Bridger's trial, even staying in the public gallery when the explicit images of child sexual abuse found on the killer's laptop were shown. |
| "They are so brave in the manner in which they have conducted themselves. They have listened to some dreadful evidence," said Detective Constable Dave Roberts, the second family liaison officer. "But it's almost a need that they have to know exactly what evidence there is. They've shown great fortitude. As a couple they are a very strong unit." | "They are so brave in the manner in which they have conducted themselves. They have listened to some dreadful evidence," said Detective Constable Dave Roberts, the second family liaison officer. "But it's almost a need that they have to know exactly what evidence there is. They've shown great fortitude. As a couple they are a very strong unit." |
| There were times when it was too much. Coral Jones left the court in tears when her panicked 999 call to the police, in which she could be heard hyperventilating, was played. She also had to leave at the end of Bridger's three-day stint in the witness box, when he repeatedly refused to say what he had done with April's body. | There were times when it was too much. Coral Jones left the court in tears when her panicked 999 call to the police, in which she could be heard hyperventilating, was played. She also had to leave at the end of Bridger's three-day stint in the witness box, when he repeatedly refused to say what he had done with April's body. |
| But the family stayed put when other small, but telling, details came out – that April's last meal was spaghetti on toast; that she watched her favourite Disney film, Tangled, just before she went out to play that evening; that the police took a DNA sample from her junior toothbrush so they could establish that it was her blood found at Bridger's home. | But the family stayed put when other small, but telling, details came out – that April's last meal was spaghetti on toast; that she watched her favourite Disney film, Tangled, just before she went out to play that evening; that the police took a DNA sample from her junior toothbrush so they could establish that it was her blood found at Bridger's home. |
| During the trial it became clear how precious April had been. She was born prematurely, which may have led her to have mild cerebral palsy. But her parents were thrilled that April was doing so well at school and cling to the memory of her being a flower girl at their wedding not long before she was abducted. | During the trial it became clear how precious April had been. She was born prematurely, which may have led her to have mild cerebral palsy. But her parents were thrilled that April was doing so well at school and cling to the memory of her being a flower girl at their wedding not long before she was abducted. |
| In their police statements, read in court, they recounted how April, who could be headstrong, had asked to go out to play on her treasured bicycle on 1 October. "She kept on and on and had a little tantrum," Coral Jones said. "I eventually gave in. I told her I didn't want her out for long. That was the last time I saw her." | In their police statements, read in court, they recounted how April, who could be headstrong, had asked to go out to play on her treasured bicycle on 1 October. "She kept on and on and had a little tantrum," Coral Jones said. "I eventually gave in. I told her I didn't want her out for long. That was the last time I saw her." |
| Paul Jones said of April (still using the present tense, though the couple were told within 24 hours that she was probably dead): "She is quite stubborn when she gets something in her mind." He added: "I can't think of any reason why Mark Bridger would take April, he is a father too. I don't understand why he would do this to her." | Paul Jones said of April (still using the present tense, though the couple were told within 24 hours that she was probably dead): "She is quite stubborn when she gets something in her mind." He added: "I can't think of any reason why Mark Bridger would take April, he is a father too. I don't understand why he would do this to her." |
| What now of the future for April's family? As the family liaison officers said, her parents have stayed strong, partly for the sake of their children. April's 10-year-old brother was the one who raised the alarm, while her three teenage half-sisters must come to terms with the fact that Bridger had collected images of them from Facebook and filed them along with his images of child sexual abuse and pictures of murder victims. | What now of the future for April's family? As the family liaison officers said, her parents have stayed strong, partly for the sake of their children. April's 10-year-old brother was the one who raised the alarm, while her three teenage half-sisters must come to terms with the fact that Bridger had collected images of them from Facebook and filed them along with his images of child sexual abuse and pictures of murder victims. |
| April's parents have made it clear they would like Bridger's rented cottage – where they believe she died – knocked down, though it is in private hands, so out of the authorities' control. | April's parents have made it clear they would like Bridger's rented cottage – where they believe she died – knocked down, though it is in private hands, so out of the authorities' control. |
| The police stopped short of carrying out tests on the bone fragments that may have revealed more because this would have destroyed them, and they wanted to be able to give the family some of April's remains. | The police stopped short of carrying out tests on the bone fragments that may have revealed more because this would have destroyed them, and they wanted to be able to give the family some of April's remains. |
| The expectation is that they will be handed to the family, and, if they wish, they can arrange a burial. There will be many more difficult times to bear. | The expectation is that they will be handed to the family, and, if they wish, they can arrange a burial. There will be many more difficult times to bear. |
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