Hotel tragedy children 'to be buried in Spain'

12 April 2012

The bodies of two children whose mother admitted suffocating them in a hotel room are expected to be buried in Spain next week.

Rebecca Smith, five, and her 11-month-old brother Daniel were found dead at the Hotel Miramar in Lloret de Mar, on the Costa Brava, last Tuesday.

Their mother, Lianne Smith, said she asphyxiated them with a plastic bag.

The family fled from the UK in 2007 after the children's father, Martin Smith, 45, was arrested over alleged child sex offences.

As he and his partner were both remanded in custody last week it has been difficult for them to make funeral arrangements for their children, sources said.

But British consular staff have been visiting Lianne Smith in prison in Girona, Spain, to discuss the issue and a funeral is likely to be held in the country next week.

Martin Smith, originally from North Shields, was one of Britain's most wanted men until Spanish police tracked him down and arrested him earlier this month.

His partner has said she was worried the authorities would remove her children from her, and Spanish police said she tried to kill herself before she was arrested last Tuesday in connection with their deaths.

She was transferred to prison on Friday after a judge in Blanes, near Lloret de Mar, ruled that a case should be brought against her.

The children died around the time their father was extradited to Britain.

It was after his arrest that their mother fled with them to the Lloret de Mar hotel.

A court document detailing Friday's court hearing read: "Smith spontaneously declared that she had killed her two children...

"Asked if she wanted to be present when the two bodies were removed, she declined as she said she had already said goodbye to her two children."

The 43-year-old was formerly a manager at Cumbria County Council's children's services department but did not work directly with children.

Her partner appeared before Carlisle magistrates last week charged with 13 sexual offences and one count of jumping bail.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said yesterday it would not undertake an inquiry into the case.

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