Keep fighting, says US mum in similar tragedy
THE mother of a teenage girl who was killed by a drink-driving diplomat in America has urged Harry Dunn’s parents to ‘keep fighting until justice is done’.
Viviane Wagner said she understands the pain the family are going through, but urged them to ‘find the strength so no one forgets’.
The death of Mrs Wagner’s 16-year-old daughter Joviane Waltrick in Washington DC shared similarities with Harry’s death in the UK.
Joviane was killed when Gueorgui Makharadze, Georgia’s deputy ambassador in the US, sped through a red light and caused a five-car pileup in 1997. Makharadze was initially released due to his diplomatic status, before the US asked the Georgian government to waive his immunity.
The former Soviet state agreed, and Makharadze appeared before a court in Washington nine months later where he pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter. He served five years in prison. Mrs Wagner, a teacher, said she only got justice because she kept her daughter’s name in the public consciousness. She said: ‘It wasn’t that the United States was on my side or demanded the lifting of diplomatic immunity for the man who killed my daughter.
‘He faced justice purely because I never gave up, I made sure that nobody could forget what happened to Jovi. Every day for nine months I went to the place where the accident occurred, and I stayed there the whole day, with banners and placards, distributing leaflets telling people what had happened to my daughter.’
Mrs Wagner, 57, said the US only asked Georgia to lift Makharadze’s diplomatic immunity after negative media stories emerged about the case. She said watching the anguish of Harry’s family has made her feel more must be done to ensure diplomatic immunity is not abused.
‘Harry’s mother is in the midst of her mourning, her hurting heart more than she can bear, but she must find the strength to keep fighting to make sure no one forgets, and that justice is done,’ Mrs Wagner said. ‘My heart is together with hers. I would love to meet her and stand with her in this fight.’
Mrs Wagner, who has two adult sons and now lives in her native Brazil, added: ‘If I have any advice to give to the parents of Harry Dunn, it is to keep fighting until justice is done.’
She added: ‘I know something of the pain they are going through. They have to be strong, and fight for justice and never give up.’