The parents of Harry Dunn, the teenager killed in a motorbike crash in August, have made an emotional plea for the woman suspected of involvement in his death to return to the
UK to face justice, saying they have not yet been able to grieve for their son.
“It’s the right thing to to do. It’s the humane thing to do,” Dunn’s mother, Charlotte Charles, said at a press conference on Monday.
Dunn, who was 19, died in a crash near RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire on August 27.
The suspect, Anne Sacoolas, who is reportedly married to a US intelligence official, returned to the US under diplomatic immunity while
police were investigating the incident.
In a statement released on Friday, Sacoolas said she wanted to meet Harry’s family in order to “express her deepest sympathies and apologies”. However Dunn’s mother told Sky News “that’s not really quite enough”.
Foreign secretary Dominic Raab wrote to Dunn’s family on Saturday to explain that both the
British and US government now consider Sacoolas’ immunity to be irrelevant.
Over the weekend, the family travelled to the
United States to demand that the 42-year-old return to the UK.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Dunn’s father Tim said his family couldn’t start grieving until the issue was “resolved”."I've always wanted to ask he if she could explain the moment of the crash, to find out if she comforted Harry, if she spoke to Harry."The parents of Harry Dunn have travelled to America to seek justice for their son.Read more: https://t.co/fs7CwAwNUbpic.twitter.com/F1Bl58VuXo— Sky News (@SkyNews) October 14, 2019He told reporters he wanted to speak to her to find out if she comforted the teenage after the crash.
“I’ve always wanted to ask her if she could explain the moment of the crash, find out if she comforted Harry, if she spoke to Harry, find out what her movements were, did she try and call the emergency services, or I don’t know, I’m just struggling because I can’t imagine my lad being in the ditch and not having any comfort from anybody until the ambulance and police turn up ‘X’ minutes later.
“When we had the funeral, which was a lovely tribute to him, I thought maybe that was the time we were going to turn the corner, but then it wasn’t until a week later when we found out that she had left the country and now it feels like it has gone right back to the night he died.
“There’s just no way I can start grieving yet, as a family we can’t start, we need this resolved.”Dunn’s mother, Charlotte Charles, said because the family’s grief was on hold “it’s coming out in other horrific ways”.
“Your legs feel like lead, you’re in pain morning until night that no painkillers can take away,” she said.
“You’re not able to cry, because we can’t understand this whole situation as to why she [Anne Sacoolas] would have left us without wanting to meet us back then.
“She needs to get on the plane and get back to the UK, just do the right thing.
“It shouldn’t be that difficult, it shouldn’t have been this difficult, she surely didn’t have to go.”
She added that she was open to meeting with Sacoolas and hearing her apology in person – but only if she agreed to return to the UK.
“We’re not inhumane, we still don’t wish her any ill harm but we need to hear it from her, in her own words, in a room, on our terms, in the UK with therapists and whoever else can help us, mediators,” she said.
“But just hearing it through a statement, we’re seven weeks in now, it’s a bit too much too little too late, I’m afraid.”
Radd Seiger, a spokesperson for the family, said his team still trying to work out the best way to move forward.
“One of the reasons why I’m here is to try and talk to some lawyers who might be able to help us here in the United States,” she said. We are determined to get justice for Harry, whatever that means.
“We will get justice for Harry.”Related... Harry Dunn: US Suspect In Fatal Crash No Longer Has Diplomatic Immunity, Foreign Office Says Mother Of Harry Dunn Says Apology From US Suspect 'Doesn't Cut It'