Babak Belurs: Harry Dunn's family to hold second funeral after human tissue found

Kamis, 29 Februari 2024

Harry Dunn's family to hold second funeral after human tissue found - BBC

By Danny Fullbrook & PA Media

BBC News, Northamptonshire

Harry Dunn's mother says a second funeral will be held for her son after human tissue was found on clothing returned to the family.

Mr Dunn, 19, died in a crash involving a US State Department employee outside RAF Croughton, Northamptonshire.

Charlotte Charles asked for her son's possessions in 2019 after he was killed but officers said everything had been destroyed in the crash.

She said a cremation service would be held on Friday.

Ms Charles said: "After Harry died, we asked if we could have his motorbike, clothes and possessions back.

"It is a way for us to keep connected to our son and we wanted to make a sculpture out of the remains of the bike and to make teddy bears and cushions out of any clothing material that was left for Harry's young cousins.

"The police officers told us that everything had been destroyed in the crash as there was a huge explosion. We put it out of our minds."

However, the family's spokesman Radd Seiger was informed before Christmas that several items including clothing, the helmet, and the frame of the bike had been "frozen and preserved", pending the conclusion of criminal proceedings, in December 2022.

Ms Charles added: "It has really hit me hard and I've had to go back on antidepressants. As if that weren't bad enough, as the items of clothing were being returned, some of Harry's tissue was also discovered on his clothing and we only found that out a couple of weeks ago.

"We are now, therefore, having to go through a second cremation service on Friday and we all are all re-traumatised. It just all feels so unfair."

Harry Dunn's parents, Charlotte Charles and Tim Dunn

Northamptonshire Police has launched an investigation into how the case was handled from the beginning.

Mr Seiger said there had been a "massive breakdown in protocol and communication" from the police.

"This poor family have been let down very badly yet again. Why were they told everything was destroyed when it wasn't?

"Why were they not told that was not the case until 15 months after the criminal case was concluded?"

A Northamptonshire Police spokesperson said: "Harry's clothing, helmet and bike were removed from the original collision site in 2019.

"Recently, police examined the items in order to repatriate them with the family, at which time human remains were subsequently discovered on Harry's clothing."

Police said they had worked with the coroner's officer to return the human remains to a funeral director on 7 February at the request of Harry's family.

Det Chief Supt Emma James, of Northamptonshire Police, added she would be meeting the family in the coming days to "ensure complete transparency".