Girls yearn for mother who fled

THE children of a South African woman who fled from Kerry to London to avoid a deportation order talk about their mother every day, their carer said yesterday.

Nothing has been heard from asylum seeker Nteta Appiarkoran, 38, and gardaí from the National Immigration Bureau in Dublin are working with London police with a view to extraditing her back here.

Cara Wallace-Costelloe, who is minding Ms Appiarkoran’s daughters Senita, 11, and Yesunia, eight, yesterday said she was worried about her friend’s safety.

“I’ve heard nothing from her and am very concerned about her,” she said.

“I just hope she’s safe. She’s a fantastic mother to her children and must miss them terribly.”

The girls attend school at Moyderwell, Tralee, and stay with Ms Wallace-Costello, near Castlemaine.

“They talk about their mother every day. It’s good for them to be open about their feelings and to express what they feel,” she said.

“They know their mother loves them very much and they miss her. They’re bright girls and are very happy in school, where they’re doing very well. They’re getting on with their homework.”

The Department of Justice and senior gardaí are adamant that, if she is located in England and brought back here, Ms Appiarkoran and her children will be deported to her country of origin. But no attempt will be made to deport the children without their mother.

Ms Appiarkoran is afraid to go back to South Africa because, she claims, her husband and son were murdered there because of their tribal and political beliefs.