| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| justagrannynow |
Posted - Mar 09 2008 : 09:16:26
This 15 year old girl was found dead on a beach on Goa 3 weeks ago. The Indian Authorites insisted she had gone swimming while drunk and drowned. Her mother disagreed with this verdict and has since been battling to have a second post mortem carried out. Mother believes the matter is being hushed up to protect the tourist industry on Goa.
Three days ago I watched the mother being interviewed on Sky news and she said that she had informed the British Embassy as soon as she became suspicious but as yet had not heard from them. There was also an article on Sky news online 7th March in which it states " Scarletts family have criticised the Foreign Office for doing little to help them"
This mornings news reveals that the mother was successful in getting a second post mortem carried out and now the vedict is that Scarlett was indeed murdered.
Yet again we have an unconventional family left to battle injustice alone. Has anybody seen any British official standing beside Scarletts mother when she has been interviewed ???
I really am utterly disgusted by the double standards of the British Government, especially when that govt. is led by a man brought up in a manse and taught Christian beliefs. Beliefs and qualities which he has stood up and talked about publicly when he was gunning for the leadership of the party.
It has always been denied that the McCanns received special assistance when Madeleine disappeared, and the help given was no different to that of any other British family who found themselves in a similar situation while abroad. In the light of what has happened on Goa, IMO this is untrue. 
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| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| justagrannynow |
Posted - Apr 25 2008 : 17:57:28
I hadn't realised her reputation was tarnished. It will be now  |
| petefergie |
Posted - Apr 25 2008 : 15:36:13
It was bound to happen....
From The Mail
quote:
Mother of Goa murder victim Scarlett Keeling turns to McCann's PR guru Clarence Mitchell in fight for justice
Last updated at 10:52am on 25th April 2008
Fiona MacKeown, whose 15-year-old daughter was drugged, raped and murdered on an Indian beach, is using the help of Kate and Gerry McCann's public relations guru in her fight for justice, it was revealed today.
Miss MacKeown, who returns to India today in pursuit of the truth over Scarlett Keeling's brutal slaying, is hoping spin doctor Clarence Mitchell can prevent negative publicity further hurting her tarnished reputation and put pressure on the Indian authourities to keep the investigation going.
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| justagrannynow |
Posted - Apr 08 2008 : 13:11:19
I was just thinking about the Scarlett Keeling case in relation to how events are unfolding in the McCann and Matthews cases.
Fiona MacKeown was given a hard time by the media because of her lifestyle, a dropout living in a clapped out caravan etc etc. How ironic that it looks as though she is the only person who has single handedly battled against corruption and fought for justice for her daughter.
It looks as though the other two families used their child to make money. |
| oxymoran |
Posted - Apr 02 2008 : 15:46:12
Agree JaGN this is good news. Seems no police agency could be as corrupt as those local Goan officials. |
| justagrannynow |
Posted - Apr 02 2008 : 11:00:11
Just on Sky News, the Indian govt has authorised the equivalent of the Indian FBI to take over the investigation of this case. Looks like that womens group who reported back to the government are as powerful as they said they were. Good for them  |
| lincs |
Posted - Mar 31 2008 : 14:14:27
They are flying her body back today and her mothers wants a 3rd post mortem done by the British this time. |
| justagrannynow |
Posted - Mar 31 2008 : 08:14:13
Mother is now on her way home with Scarletts body. She has now got the support of a powerful Womens Group who report back directly to the Indian President so she is optimistic that her anxieties about the local police and govt officials on Goa will be investigated. However, the bar where Scarlett is alleged to have been fed with drugs and alcohol to the point where she was unable to defend herself no longer exists. The whole structure has disappeared, along with the staff so, in effect, there is no forensic evidence which can be gathered.  |
| oxymoran |
Posted - Mar 26 2008 : 13:49:30
Agreed with both of you. Mr Brown has a lot to answer for |
| lincs |
Posted - Mar 25 2008 : 18:26:05
I agree she should have all the help.... Gordon Brown hang your head in shame. |
| justagrannynow |
Posted - Mar 25 2008 : 13:36:13
The mother is now at a secret location with police protection because of threats made to her for criticising the local police and exposing the local drug culture.
Still no mention of any support being offered to her by the British govt.
If her life is being threatened, and she is being protected by the same police she has exposd as liars, shouldn't the British Embassy staff be involved??? Whatever her lifestyle, Fiona McKeown is a British citizen, in danger abroad and entitled to assistance. |
| oxymoran |
Posted - Mar 23 2008 : 22:56:55
JaGN I very much doubt that was how she died. All the original reports indicated no sign of water in her lungs, although they did say she had swallowed sand. Either way its horrific to contemplate |
| justagrannynow |
Posted - Mar 23 2008 : 19:30:18
On Sky news this morning. Mother is expecting the results of the post mortem today. She has been told that Scarlett died by having her head held underwater for over 10 minutes.
This is so dreadful, and still no UK Govt. support to be seen. Mother is being helped by a yoga teacher and a lawyer who is giving his services for free.  |
| lincs |
Posted - Mar 15 2008 : 12:20:27
As much as i dont agree she should of left her daughter, the British Goverement need to step in after all they did it for the McCanns. |
| justagrannynow |
Posted - Mar 15 2008 : 09:21:57
On Sky news this morning. Scarletts mother is at a Juvenile Police Unit where she is being questioned. Fiona McKeowan says police are trying to charge her with child neglect. Police say they are questioning her for general information about Scarlett. If this is so, why does mother have to be taken to a special unit? Given the way the police have investigated this case at the beginning, I would tend to believe the mother. IMO the Indian police sound even more incompetent than the derogatory comments made about the PJ !!!
Still no mention of whether or not the British govt. are assisting this family in any way. Shameful double standards. |
| lincs |
Posted - Mar 14 2008 : 20:50:08
He will make it worse will all his spin. |
| justagrannynow |
Posted - Mar 14 2008 : 20:46:39
OMG He might send Clarence to help out |
| lincs |
Posted - Mar 14 2008 : 20:39:41
I heard that on the news also, wonder if Gordon Brown will step in. |
| justagrannynow |
Posted - Mar 14 2008 : 20:24:21
There was something on BBC News24 about an hour ago. Apparently Scarletts mother has been summoned to appear before a court to answer police allegations that she neglected Scarlett by leaving her without adequate supervision.
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| justagrannynow |
Posted - Mar 12 2008 : 21:37:53
Great post Mog and a very valid point. My grandchildren have been raised with a bedroom full of gadgets, TV laptop etc. Their friends would come round and it was each to their own room to play these computer games. They thought nothing of having skiing holidays in Colorado, gap years in Australia and one was given a present of a round the world air ticket to go backpacking. Cars were expected as soon as they passed their test and they were just awash with material things. I didn't like it but I was told in no uncertain terms that this was how all their friends lived and it was expected in the circles they lived in.
I have to admit that up to now they all seem to be OK but I wonder how any of them will cope if some day the rug is pulled from underneath them and they have to actually start roughing it, but living in the suburbs of a large city, their parents seem to think that the fact that they have all survived adolescence without getting mixed up in drugs or crime means they have succeeded. I reckon it's a sad reflection on society. There is just one grandson who looks around him and is aware of social injustice. Maybe one day he will decide to do something about it, but the others take their overabundance of material things for granted. I think they miss out on so much real life and think their lives are quite sad and shallow but I am sure that, although they love me to bits, they think I got left behind years ago. |
| mog |
Posted - Mar 12 2008 : 20:24:04
quote:
Originally posted by justagrannynow
If Scarletts mother had objected to her going on the pill, would the Family Planning Clinic have refused to supply Scarlett? I don't think so, so, if society does not back parents, what are they supposed to do?
You are quite right Jagn, saying that family planning would not have refused her the pill. I know of comprehensive schools in our region, that are allowed to give teenage girls the pill without their parents knowledge. On the other hand, pain killers and anticeptic creams cannot be given by the same schools "just in case".
As stated elsewhere on here, i would class myself as an "hippy". I have the hair, face fuzz etc, so i suppose i do "stand out from others." But what is a hippy?. The term hippy was just a follow on from the beat poets/beatnix terminology. The hip from Hippy supposedly relates to the individual been "on the knowledge", having your finger on the pulse, and generally knowing whats going on in the world.
I had a firm but fair up bringing. Neither mam and dad are "hippies", but were/are fine tuned to the trials and tribulations of what its like to be in your adolecent years. They knew exactly what the game was, and instilled into us right from wrong, always do what we believed was right, never hurt anyone/thing etc. None of us were ever in any trouble, as my parents said, they would tell the police first if we got up to anything!.
We used to go birdwatching, hiking, go to museums and do lots of other activities together. The outdoor stuff has stuck with me to this day, and i love been outdoors doing whatever i can.
So we were kept quite busy really.
What i was taught by my parents as a youngster is now rubbing off in the way i am bring up my own daughter. My thoughts and beliefs, mixed in a pot with my mam and dads ideals i suppose.
Interesting observations as well, regarding children who "have everything" going off the rails.
Have you ever noticed, when you read stories like that there always seems to be a line thus:"They didnt want for anything. We gave them everthing they wanted."
Well its easy to give children materialistic love. Pouring gifts and money at them perhaps isnt the best way to go about it. These days, everything is there for the taking for young people. Everything they think they want, parents seem happy to oblige. New mobiles, latest gadgets etc. I wonder how many parents think, "wait a minute, do they really need this?, or would they prefer a hug, and me taking more interest in what they do?" I am sure a lot of kids would opt for a hug and loving parents, although most wouldnt admit it!
rambling over
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| lincs |
Posted - Mar 12 2008 : 13:36:33
Hi i have heard of this before i too went to an independent school and a couple of them got into drugs got expelled but it has taken this school yrs to get it back on track and is even better today. I have spoken to policemen social workers etc. and asked why do children from a loving home with nice education abuse it and want to rebel, they could not answer me. When a parent can put hand on their heart and the police etc. know the parents have almost moved heaven and earth for their children then probably there is nothing else can be done. Your friend deserves a medal, your friends daughter probably will admit she has a loving family and all the support she needs and it is not her parents fault that it lies with her self. Some like a different way of life they seem to get a buzz from it. As your have said justagrannynow the door is left open for her and i hope she realizes what a privileged life she had. I think your friend has done a cracking job and no one else could of done more for her. It is a very sad story and these are the sort of goodparenting i really feel for. |
| justagrannynow |
Posted - Mar 12 2008 : 11:33:51
I agree with everything you say Lincs, but what would you do if one of your children did turn out to be a rebel ?
One of my best friends ( we went to school together ), had 3 girls and 2 boys. They were all loved equally yet one of her daughters got in with the wrong crowd at school. The local authority refused to move the girl to another school so my friend placed her in an independent day school but she still associated with her original friends. I know my friend and so I know how hard the parents and grandparents tried to understand the situation. They tried everything but their daughter would neither listen nor co-operate with them. She left school with no qualifications and continued to drift from job to job and man to man. The other children have all done well and all of them tried to help their sister but she was just determined to live her own way. I can assure you she was not treated any differently to her siblings when she was at home, but short of keeping her a prisoner, I cannot think of anything else that family could have done to get their daughter to conform. They always loved her, kept the door open for her but nothing worked. Eventually the daughter went through the prison system and has just disappeared. To this day her parents still go over her childhood and try to find a reason. |
| lincs |
Posted - Mar 12 2008 : 10:52:10
It is respect some parents today have no respect so their children dont any know better. When i was growing up i had a very strict upbringing i was not allowed out unless i was driven to and fro to friends. But it has stood me in good stead for my children. I may not of liked it at times but i would not have dared of rebelled and we did not get hit off our parents ,nor threats so it was all down to respect.It never harmed me or my siblings either and im so grateful to my parents with the upbringing i had I know times have changed but with my own children they have respect and dont rebel either i believe in giving them enough rope, having family discussions trust love and mutual respect. I agree the McCanns were neglectful but when the police man came on sky just before the swinging statement. He made another statement saying charges could be brought for leaving them. But they are not going to face any and this was said back in May. It makes me think some one in high places were very quick to smooth this over. |
| justagrannynow |
Posted - Mar 12 2008 : 09:27:38
Sky news this morning. Indian police are considering charging the mother with neglect for leaving Scarlett alone. How does this relate to the McCanns insistence that leaving three children under 4 on their own is not neglect?
How about a debate on how to deal with a teenager who refuses to toe the line? I would agree that Scarletts mother seems to be unusual, what we called hippies, and had no objection to Scarlett going on the pill in the UK so her own lifestyle, standards etc are not the same as most parents. However, how do parents these days control a stroppy, defiant teenager? I read that the mother and Scarlett had had an argument about the trip and Scarlett had refused to accompany the rest of the family so the mother had left her, not only with the boyfriend, but also his family which included women. Had the mother cancelled the trip, the teenager would have been in control of the situation, not the mother, and that can't be good for either of them.
When we were rearing our 2 boys they were financially dependent on us until they left home but these days in the UK, as I understand it, teenagers can leave home and be offered financial assistance with rent and living expenses so how does a parent exert any influence on them? If Scarletts mother had objected to her going on the pill, would the Family Planning Clinic have refused to supply Scarlett? I don't think so, so, if society does not back parents, what are they supposed to do?
I would be interested in seeing what other posters think as it was so different in my day, and if I go back to my own childhood, including my teenage years, well, I got locked in my bedroom until I agreed to conform and as far as I know, there wasn't anybody in authority who would have refused to back my mother in her decision. |
| petefergie |
Posted - Mar 11 2008 : 23:28:18
quote:
The Newscaster asked if she were naive and she replied yes
To be fair she may have heard the McCanns talking about being naive, that word must rate as the best get-out of all time |
