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UK triple murder: Dad too distraught to identify children's bodies: report

───   09:18 Fri, 25 Apr 2014

Cape Town – The father of three children allegedly killed by their South African mother in the UK is reportedly in “absolute shock” and struggling to face the task of identifying the children’s bodies.

A Scotland Yard spokesperson was quoted as saying that no formal identification has taken place.

Gary Clarence, husband of the accused, was apparently struggling to face the task of identifying the children’s bodies.

The Scotland Yard spokesperson said formal identification requires that a relative or next of kin formally identify the victims otherwise a postmortem would have to be conducted.

According to the report, Gary Clarence is in “absolute shock” after arriving back in London from South Africa on Thursday.

His wife, Tania Clarence, 42, will appear before the Wimbledon Magistrate's Court on Friday charged with three counts of murder.

The children, 4-year-old Olivia and twin boys Ben and Max, aged 3, suffered from spinal muscular atrophy, a severe genetic disorder.

They were found dead at home on Tuesday evening.

Their mother had suffered minor injuries, for which she was treated at a hospital before being arrested. There are as yet no details of her injuries.

The South African-born couple's eldest daughter does not suffer from SMA. She was with father on holiday in South Africa when they received the news of the deaths and the arrest of Tania.

The mother had given up her career as a graphic artist to devote herself to caring for her severely ill children.

A picture of a woman under immense strain has emerged from friends.

Clarence, a director at Investec, travelled often.

A friend and neighbour, who did not wish to be named, told The Times: "He had his business and he went away. Before Christmas he went to South Africa with the two girls [it was reported that Clarence lost his father in October] and he also went to Atlanta to watch the golf. And then he had time out again in South Africa [when tragedy struck at home in England]."

The friend said she hoped that her speaking out would help people realise the enormous stress and strain Tania, who had probably "not had a decent sleep in years", was under and that they would show her some compassion.

SMA severely limits the lives of sufferers. The couple found out that their four-year-old daughter suffered from the disorder when Tania was already pregnant with the twins, who were born premature and later found also to suffer from SMA.

A family friend in South Africa said Gary had lost his father to cancer in October.

Gary and his eldest daughter were accompanied by his brother, sister and mother, who all live in South Africa, when they flew to London on Wednesday night.

The friend said that the Clarences were "the loveliest family".

Gary's father founded the large Birchwood Conference Centre, near OR Tambo International Airport, which the family still runs.
 
Timeslive

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