Sarah Groves parents have admitted that their chances of discovering the truth of what happened to their daughter are diminishing with each passing year, but they’ve said their determination to find out the truth does not.
24-year-old Sarah died twelve years ago today – on a houseboat in Kashmir where she was staying while travelling.
Dutchman Richard de Wit was arrested very soon after Sarah’s death, and he has been in custody ever since.
He was charged with her murder and his trial commenced weeks later, in June 2013.
However, the Groves family and Sarah’s friends are no closer to finding out what happened to her as the trial was beset with delays from the start.
In July 2021, Mr de Wit was deemed mentally unfit to stand trial and there has been no further progress since.
In an open letter published yesterday, Sarah’s parents said they are still determined to find out what happened to her despite the ongoing challenges they have faced.
“We continue in our endeavours to establish what happened that terrible night, but our efforts remain thwarted at every turn. The Guernsey inquest into her death remains open and we are no nearer to understanding what happened than we were twelve years ago.”
As well as Mr de Wit’s mental health, one recent challenge has been the political upheaval in the UK.
Multiple elections in recent years, Brexit, and the pandemic, has resulted in governmental changes in the UK that have affected progress.
Mr and Mrs Groves, in a letter shared on behalf of Sarah’s family and friends, said they need ongoing support from the UK government to find out what really happened to her.
“The change of Government in the UK has been a major setback for us. Sadly, without greater help from key third parties such as the FCDO in London and the British High Commission in New Delhi, our chances of establishing the truth diminish with each passing year. However, our determination, on the other hand, does not.”