Family split makes mum miss funerals

A bitter family split has caused the mother of the north Taranaki woman who killed her two children and then herself to miss their funerals.

Jennie Mack arrived in New Plymouth from Australia yesterday intending to say goodbye to her daughter Brenda Fielding, 40, and her grandchildren Cameron, 10, and Krystal, eight, at their funeral today.

The three were found dead in their beachfront home at Onaero last Wednesday. Police said the deaths were murder-suicide.

But Mrs Fielding's husband had told Ms Mack by phone, before she left Australia, that he did not want her to come to the funeral because his wife would not have wanted it. However, he also told her there was nobody to blame for what had happened, Ms Mack said.

Vospers funeral home in New Plymouth apologised to her yesterday, telling her the funeral had been held and that they had been instructed not to let any information out.

She was told her daughter and grandchildren had had a private cremation with no church service, which only a handful of people attended.

Vospers told her they had been told to keep it low key "because of the media". But Ms Mack said her belief was that the funeral had been brought forward from today because they had not wanted her to attend.

"They knew we were coming over. What they've done is they've changed the funeral. I'm a bit stunned and a bit empty," she said from a friend's home in New Plymouth last night. "But I don't feel bitter. What's the use of feeling bitter, it doesn't do anyone any good."

Supportive friends, her doctor and pastor had all urged her to attend the funeral to help with the grieving process. Ms Mack had prepared words she wanted to share with everyone at the funeral: "I wanted to say, 'I raised a beautiful daughter - quiet, polite and well brought up. She was a loving mother, but sadly she just became ill and was not the person she was. She was a tortured soul'."

Ms Mack had also chosen a piece of poetry to read. "If anyone had caused a ruckus I was just going to say, 'there's such a thing as love and forgiveness'."

Ms Mack said she had heard many rumours about her daughter's life and intended to talk to police to ensure she knew the truth.

"You've got to be strong, even though your heart is breaking."

Vospers manager Bruce Hanrahan said the home was there to serve the whole family, but had followed Mr Fielding's wishes as official next of kin.

Mr Fielding had been upset by the media attention, "and that is why it has developed the way it has. I am not aware of it being done for any reason than that," Mr Hanrahan said.

- NZPA