A Sorry Debate On Scarlett Keeling
“IS Scarlett’s mother really the guilty one?” asks Sue Carroll in the Mirror.
Scarlett Keeling was raped and murdered in Goa. A man has been arrested. with the case open, we can only say in reply to Ms Carroll’s poser that it is unlikely.
“Sorry, but I blame Scarlett’s mother,” says Allison Pearson on the Mail’s front page.
Scarlett Keeling was raped and murdered. Although Ms Pearson has apologised, so Scarlett’s mother, Fiona, should not take offence.
Lets have a heated debate…
March 12th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
IMO, I thinks it’s terrible that little Maddie, sorry Shannon, sorry Scarlett was left alone in the care of a 25 /22 year old ‘Indian’/'Low paid commis chef/ tour guide/step dad. Would it have been better if it had been a ‘Welsh’ tour guide with less of an age difference. She would have been better off in a care home, somewhere nice. Like Jersey
I think that covers it. Off you go
March 12th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Perhaps the powers that be in the UK could actually determine some laws which define neglect, and not leave it to the nebulous suppostion that it currently is.
Whilst at it determine length of jail sentences also.
But a 15 yr old in the care of a 24 yr old? daft.
People take and pick up children from school, or arranged that they are dropped off /picked up
3yr olds are not suitable baby sitters, neither are absent parents
March 12th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
What intrigues me is how a family on benefits can afford to travel to Goa in the first place.
Obviously, all my university going, advanced degree getting , finding a job etc etc was a waste of time.
I should have just stayed in Britain, had lots of kids, and taken holidays in India.
March 12th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
It is probably not right to blame anyone at this moment. It is a terrible incident. We are all sorry for this. And I will rather empathize with Mrs. Fiona, because the India she had experienced in her youth, has changed. But yes…she should have been careful about her own child who was still a minor.
I am a responsible citizen of India. I with myriads of people like me, condemn this incident and the negligence shown by the authority to investigate the matter.
God rest her soul…
March 12th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
im scarlett’s cousin and i think fiona shouldn’t be the one to blame. scarlett was a sweet girl and she was a caring person to.
i love you scarlett!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
rest in peace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 12th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
Oh, for God sake! Girls of 15 go to clubs, parties and stay out all night. I did and many of you did. It’s called growing up.
Would Scarlett have been spared had she been 16? 17? 18? Crimes happen. Tragic and vile but they happen and always will.
Why do these smug people always have to have someone to blame? Seems that it is the done thing now to smugly blame and sneer at other families. I bet that there are very few front doors that open into hunky dory homes with lovely little two parent families beavering away. No faults or vices. A student kids.
Live and let live.
March 12th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
A fifteen year old girl, regardless of “class” or financial standing, should obviously not be left with relative strangers for three weeks in a foreign country. However, it is beyond belief that the same British press and population who are so eagerly pointing out this mothers “neglect”, have defended vehemently the actions of “responsible” parents who leave their 18 month old babies in the care of their three year old daughter in a foreign country so they can party with their friends. It is impossible not to draw the conclusion that the severity of parental neglect is directly related to financial/social standing. Put simply, wealthy, well connected parents are “naive”, while ordinary, struggling single mums are “neglectful”.
This is glaringly obvious.
dr:18.36
March 12th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
I think if people do not have anything nice to say then they should say nothing at all.
I used to live in the village very near Fiona and her children they are a good family blessed with common sence Fiona would have a better understanding of her children than anyone else would.
I would have felt comfortable leaving my son at 15,he is very sensible.
Fiona would not have left any one of her children if for one minute she did not feel they were capable of looking after there selves.
I think this is a terrible tragic ordeal for all of the family and close friends.
My thoughts are with you all.
Let there be justice for the family.
March 12th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
5 - Sally-anne
truely sorry for you and your families loss…
March 13th, 2008 at 5:33 am
I am a very very open minded woman, even a little bit of a hippie. However, Scarlett’s abusive mother deserves all the scorn the world. Leaving your 15 year old daughter in a foreign country, in the care of a 25 year old male, whom they knew for a matter of weeks…………..Sorry but this woman deserves to have the rest of her children put in care. She is responsible for her daughter’s sad death. I sincerely hope that she is held fully accountable, preferably in the justice system.
March 13th, 2008 at 7:13 am
No way I’d leave my 15 year old daughter anywhere, where I was not aware of her comings and goings, and what she would be doing, and whom she would be doing it with.
That’s the problem with parents today. They don’t want to be the kids parents. They want to be their “Friends,” and Kow Tow to every whim and desire they have. That’s why you have school shootings, and such. There is also the Fabian Socialist aspect of it all, where the “State” believes it can raise your children, better than the parents can. So, they hamstring the parents, to where they can’t be parents. Movies and Sitcoms portray the women as being strong and intelligent, while the men are complete buffoons. Hence, there is no respect for the family structure, and the kids go wild.
Had I been this parent, my child would of not let be stayed with strangers, and secondly, she would not of been a party’er. I’d put my foot down and tell her, you’re going to straighten up, if it kills you.
In conclusion, parents need to quit trying to be “cool” or their child’s friend. They need to be parents. And, the obviously out of control youth of the world is really crying out for such.
Administrator: “straighten up, if it kills you”..or someone else does. That’s the point; family issues and standards are secondary in this case. It not the Why? But the Who? How? and What was the purpose of an alleged cover-up?-agw
March 13th, 2008 at 9:02 am
6 Patch says
Oh, for God sake! Girls of 15 go to clubs, parties and stay out all night. I did and many of you did. It’s called growing up.
Of course it is..but then she wasnt at a party or a club..she was left ON HER OWN in a strange country for WEEKS!!!
I am sick to death of reading about stupid irresponsible parents leaving their children unattended and then reading about their deaths….The mother must have responsiblity, end of!
______________
m and A
It was also quite disturbing on the news the other evening that there have been so many deaths of tourists in the area, something like 160. The FO do have a list of countries where its inadvisable to be a lone female, or even male for that matter. I also see on the news that they have made a second arrest.
Shame people choose not to see beyond the beauty of the place.
March 14th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
Leaving Scarlett was obviously not the greatest idea, however does anyone really believe that had her mother not gone away, that she wouldnt have been out that night??
To everyone who insists that THEIR child is not or would not be a partier and everyone who THINKS they know the every movement of their teen, please I beg you to get a clue.
My mother was my parent not my friend, she insisted on knowing where I went, what time I would be home and who I was with. However despite her best efforts and very impressive parental detective skills, I still got up to no end of things that she never found out about (and that now i am an adult cant believe i was stupid enough to do).
Regardless of who she was in the ‘care’ of, she was a young woman. Young people go out, they experiment and put themselves at risk - hell most adults do! Instead of trying to crucify this woman who was very unwise, how about focusing on the men who commited the crime and the authorities who covered it up?
Would you feel better if Scarlett was 25? She was raped and murdered - that is the issue here.
dr:05.55
March 17th, 2008 at 3:25 am
Now that everybody is finished blaiming Scarlett Keelings mother, and rightly so, the focus must shift onto the Goa police, and the rapist. Both India and the UK should spare no efforts to let public opinion die down, as it happens in most newsy stories. The culprits should be given the most serious punishment
dr:04.07
March 20th, 2008 at 11:57 am
Scarlett Keeling was my half cousin, I have looked it to this case and i wanted everyone who has been accusing Fiona (mother) to know that she was a lovely caring mother who actually had been in india for 3 months,the whole family had a good relationship with the family Scarlett was left with that night even went for meals with them! Scarlett wanted abit of freedom and independence so Fiona trusted the family to look after her that night,,you cannot be with your child 24 hours a day especially not a 15 year old!
YES she may have tattoos and lip piercings as everyone keeps mentioning and you all have no respect if you can call her a bad mother for them reasons!
A little girl has been murdered or have we forgotton..leave us all in peace as we are hurting! I think the real reason is the blame has to go on someone of why we live i n such a sick and twisted world..i think it has been proved the papers can bring up anything..such as Fiona slit a mans throught and do you know why?? because that man was raping her friend in front of her and she had to save her friend!!
It has also been proved or why would all the papers be appologising to maddys parents for accusing them?? please would everyone just think about it because none of you know the family and I DO..all you are doing is believeing the papers.
March 23rd, 2008 at 9:05 am
MURDER IS MURDER.THE POLICE AND POLITICIANS ARE [APPARENTLY (IMO)] INVOLVED IN THE COVER UP.JUSTICE WILL NEVER BE DELIVERED.THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT SHOULD DEMAND A PROPER CENTRAL BUREAU(CBI) INVESTIGATION. SCOTLAND YARD SHOULD ALSO GET INVOLVED.A BRITISH CITIZEN IS MORE IMPORTANT THEN BENAZIR BHUTTO!!!
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Mods and Admin
Lower case in future please, NO need to shout
March 29th, 2008 at 7:59 am
Sorry for the loss of Scarlett. Like I say before, NO WAY would my 15 year old be anywhere I didn’t know where she was; period; even If I had to handcuff her to the wall.
But, the way parents are raising children is attrocious, to say the least. It all stems from a 60’s, 70’s and 80’s mindset, where the parents were once out doing their evil deeds; so they figure their children can do the same too. Free love, peace out, and all that.
Secondly, everyone is human; and prone to make mistakes. Now Fiona has to live with hers, forever.
Thirdly, it’s India you guys. Do you really think they have top notice forensics, and a sterling police force?
I’m saddened by this tragedy. Rape is not about sex anyway. It’s about overpowering someone, and control.
Sad that Fiona didn’t research where she was going better, take better measures to control her child, and jaunted off to another area, leaving her child to the wolves.
March 31st, 2008 at 11:33 am
do you people truly feel that fiona hasnt taken any of the blame?? she will remember her dissision for the rest of her live and im sure she regrets it but she does not need stuck up people like you rubing her face in it this should be a page to offer condolences not: Lets have a heated debate… thats just sick anyone who thinks they have the right to blame fiona is twisted its the twisted people that murdered scarlett that are at fault here and by speaking like this about fiona you are not helping her gain respect from the authorities your making her life ten times harder than it allready is imagine how you would feel if this happened to one of your children whatever ag whatever circumstance you would be devistaded have some respect.