Corbett children set to return to Ireland as victim’s mother seeks justice
Rita Corbett, grandmother to Jack, 10, and Sarah, 8, said she believed the children should have been sent straight to Ireland after their father died in the family home in North Carolina on Sunday, August 2.
The Limerick-born children had been in the custody of their American stepmother, Molly Martens, since their father, Jason Corbett, 39, from Janesboro, Co Limerick, was found dead in an upstairs bedroom of his home.
Molly Martens and her father Thomas Martens, a retired FBI agent, have been described by police as “persons of interest” in the case, but no arrests have been made.
Ms Corbett said she hopes whoever is responsible is brought to justice, but that her grandchildren should not have been kept in the US while a custody battle got under way.
Ms Martens had been seeking custody and relatives of Jason had been unable to access the children in the US despite that fact that the dead man’s sister, Tracey, and her husband, David Lynch, had been named in his will as legal guardians.
On Monday the official presiding over the case issued an order to remove them from the care of Ms Martin and guardianship was granted to the Lynches.
Today's back page photo: People taking part in a candlelit vigil in Limerick last evening for Jack and Sarah Corbett. pic.twitter.com/5rNIPjoiM0
— Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) August 19, 2015
Rita Corbett said: “They shouldn’t have made us go through all this. I feel they should have sent the children straight home [to Ireland] when they knew Tracey and David were the guardians. I want justice for my lovely son, going over there to be killed. The truth is coming out now.”
She added: “It is very heartbreaking.”
The children’s grandfather, John Corbett, agreed. “I think the children should have been straight back to Ireland away from all that atmosphere.
“They shouldn’t have been left in it. They know us. Jason came home very often with them. This was home to them as well.
“Jack used write me loads of little cards, saying he would be home and not to cut down his apple tree. We have an apple tree in the back garden.
“When you’d be having a cup of tea in the kitchen he’d say, ‘now I’m taking a picture of you’. The two of them used to send cards with drawings for me. It was the same with the Fitzpatricks, Mags’ family, [Jason’s first wife who died in 2006]. We always remained very close, both sets of parents.”
Mr Corbett also spoke of the anguish of the journey when travelling with his son’s hearse from Dublin Airport when the body was repatriated last week.
“ I am fairly worn out over what has been going on. The [custody] case is due to finish on Thursday. I think the result is going to be for us,” Mr Corbett said.
“It has been two weeks of hell for all the family. All our family and their friends and neighbours have been brilliant. They all rallied around.”
In excess of 600 people attended a candlelight gathering in Limerick on Tuesday night in solidarity with the Corbett family.
