GRIEVING families suffering the unexplained death of loved ones must be better supported by police, an activist has demanded.

Alex O’Kane took on the cause of Stephanie Bonner after her son Rhys’s death in unexplained circumstances in 2019 – and has now launched a petition calling on Police Scotland to improve their handling of similar cases.

Glasgow Times:

Rhys, 19, was found dead in a field near Gartcosh nearly two years ago and his grieving mother has never had answers over the cause of his death.

She has repeatedly accused the police of wrongdoing over their treatment of his corpse at the scene and for their failure to conduct door-to-door inquiries following the discovery.

Police Scotland apologised to Ms Bonner over failing to carry out door-to-door enquiries after Rhys' body was discovered. 

Stephanie said: “Any support for families would be absolutely amazing because I never had one bit of support.

“The police came and told me my son had died and then they went away. No one came back and sat down or tried to explain anything.

“When Rhys was missing I had just had a baby and I was on my own, by myself and I was just left alone.

“You would think there would be someone to come out and say: Is there any wee clubs your children could go to while you go out and look for your son?

“I had just had another child and I don’t have a big family, we had to go out and look for Rhys and I couldn’t go half the time because I had to look after my children.

“There was no-one I could phone and talk to, there was no help whatsoever.”

Now Mr O’Kane has written to Scotland’s top police officer Iain Livingstone arguing for police to give greater support to the families of those who die in unexplained circumstances.

He said: “Because an unexplained death is not considered a crime, the same level of resources are not invested to support the victim’s families, nor is Victim Support involved.

“Better communication is needed between the police and the victims’ families, families who are often paralysed by grief.”

He also demanded that police issue a public appeal for witnesses following the discovery of a body if they “cannot make an initial determination of the cause of death within a reasonable margin of probability”.

Police Scotland, however, at the time say they released appeals for information following the discovery of Rhys' body. 

We told previously how Police Scotland’s Professional Standards Department (PSD) was investigating the complaint from Stephanie Bonner about the handling of the case.

Chief Superintendent Andy McDowell, the head of the PSD, said: “An investigation into a complaint about the police, received from Rhys’s mother Stephanie Bonner, has now concluded and the family have been updated by officers from the PDS.

“An offer has been made to meet the family to discuss this and remains open.”

Ms Bonner accused them of disrespecting her son’s memory by dragging his corpse over the ground, which was filmed by a member of the public.

In the past year, Ms Bonner has spoken at Save Our Children gatherings in George Square. They have been linked to the Q-Anon conspiracy movement in the US, in an investigation from the online news site The Ferret.

“It’s about the corruption and we just don’t want that happening to any more children,” said Ms Bonner.

“We’re trying to make children aware that there are bad people out there and that there is help, even though we are in lockdown there is still a lot of places out there that can help.

“There are people suffering from mental health and being abused by their parents, a lot of children need saved and we’re trying to get the awareness out there about that. It’s a horrible world just now.”

She has kept a constant presence on social media, often filming Facebook live videos from her home where she voices her agony over the loss of her eldest son and concerns over the police’s handling of his case.

Detective Superintendent Suzanne Chow defended the existing measures Police Scotland has for supporting families affected by unexplained deaths.

She said: “We provide support and care to everyone who comes into contact with police following the death of a family member.

“The form this support takes is tailored to the individual and the circumstances in each case.

“This may, in some circumstances, include specially trained officers to support people following a death.

“We also work closely with a range of partners and third-sector organisations and frequently refer people who could be helped by these services.”

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Government said: “While nothing can ease the pain of losing a loved one, our thoughts and sympathies are with Rhys’s family.

“Losing a loved one can be incredibly difficult, and feeling isolated or not knowing where to turn for help can make a testing time almost unbearable. We want and expect bereavement support to be available to all who would benefit from it and for it to be clear how to access it.

“Police Scotland have specially trained officers to support families in various situations, including when they have experienced an unexplained death. They also work closely with a variety of partners and organisations who they often refer people who can be supported by these services.

“The Scottish Government has a close working relationship with Cruse Bereavement Care Scotland and has supported them in the expansion of the bereavement support they provide.”

You can view the petition here.