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Fight to repatriate Mellersh children from Turkey | Fight to repatriate Mellersh children from Turkey |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The family of two children from the New Forest found dead in Turkey are facing a complicated legal battle to get their bodies flown home to the UK for burial. | The family of two children from the New Forest found dead in Turkey are facing a complicated legal battle to get their bodies flown home to the UK for burial. |
Yaanis Mellersh, eight, and Mira, six, and their German mother, Elke Mellersh, 45, were found dead in Soke on Friday. | Yaanis Mellersh, eight, and Mira, six, and their German mother, Elke Mellersh, 45, were found dead in Soke on Friday. |
A German court had granted custody of the children to their father, Justin. | A German court had granted custody of the children to their father, Justin. |
It is feared the Turkish authorities will give custody of the three bodies to Elke's relatives, meaning the children could be buried in Turkey. | |
Natasha Mellersh, Yaanis's godmother and cousin of both children, told the BBC: "Hearing the pain in my grandfather's voice just made me completely devastated. | |
"I later spoke to my mother, we just cried, it was just heartbreaking. | |
"Now the main thing is to get the bodies back into the country and bury the children. After that we can really grieve." | "Now the main thing is to get the bodies back into the country and bury the children. After that we can really grieve." |
'Inner pain' | 'Inner pain' |
Justin Mellersh, 46, and his father Nick are in Turkey and were due to go to the mortuary to see the children's bodies on Tuesday. | Justin Mellersh, 46, and his father Nick are in Turkey and were due to go to the mortuary to see the children's bodies on Tuesday. |
In a message posted on Facebook, he said: "Yaani and Mimi - the lively, loving, tender, kind individuals who were children, grandchildren, nephew, niece and cousins to us - lost their lives because of deliberate actions of their mother, who took her own life as she took theirs. | In a message posted on Facebook, he said: "Yaani and Mimi - the lively, loving, tender, kind individuals who were children, grandchildren, nephew, niece and cousins to us - lost their lives because of deliberate actions of their mother, who took her own life as she took theirs. |
"We do not blame the mother for this tragedy - it's clear that she suffered a debilitating mental illness with paranoid delusions. | "We do not blame the mother for this tragedy - it's clear that she suffered a debilitating mental illness with paranoid delusions. |
"Rather we mourn that we were not able to ease her inner pain and confusion, and so were unable to prevent this sad, sad end." | "Rather we mourn that we were not able to ease her inner pain and confusion, and so were unable to prevent this sad, sad end." |
Mr Mellersh's family live near Lyndhurst in the New Forest. | Mr Mellersh's family live near Lyndhurst in the New Forest. |
The two children grew up in the area before moving to Germany with their parents. | The two children grew up in the area before moving to Germany with their parents. |
They were reported missing in 2010 and their mother was wanted on suspicion of child abduction in Germany. | They were reported missing in 2010 and their mother was wanted on suspicion of child abduction in Germany. |
'Failing the children' | 'Failing the children' |
The bodies of the children and their mother were found in a farmhouse in Soke. | The bodies of the children and their mother were found in a farmhouse in Soke. |
They were last seen at Hepstedt near Bremen in Germany in February 2010. | They were last seen at Hepstedt near Bremen in Germany in February 2010. |
The children's aunt, Lucy Mellersh, wants to see action taken to protect and recover children who have been victims of parental child abduction. | The children's aunt, Lucy Mellersh, wants to see action taken to protect and recover children who have been victims of parental child abduction. |
She said: "Every well-intentioned person who helps to hide an abducting parent is failing the children and putting them in danger. | She said: "Every well-intentioned person who helps to hide an abducting parent is failing the children and putting them in danger. |
"Every slow-moving government agency that assumes the children will be okay because they are with their mum is putting the children in danger. | "Every slow-moving government agency that assumes the children will be okay because they are with their mum is putting the children in danger. |
"Every police officer who puts a parental abduction to the bottom of the pile on their desk is putting the children in danger. | "Every police officer who puts a parental abduction to the bottom of the pile on their desk is putting the children in danger. |
"Don't leave it until it is too late, don't focus on last Friday's deaths. Do something about the children who are still missing." | "Don't leave it until it is too late, don't focus on last Friday's deaths. Do something about the children who are still missing." |
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