THE family of a Limerick man who died in North Carolina three weeks ago face fresh anguish as his widow looks set to lodge an appeal to keep his children from going home.
Jason Corbett, 39, died on August 2 on his widow Molly Martens has been involved in a custody battle with the Corbett family since his death.
A judge this week awarded custody to Jason’s sister and brother-in-law but now Ms Martens, the stepmother of Jack Corbett, 10, and Sarah Corbett, 8, is attempting to delay the couple from bringing Jason’s children home.
“In the last hour or so we have heard that Ms Molly Martens is going to appeal the decision to delay Jack and Sarah leaving America,” John Corbett told The Irish Post.
“We have yet to make contact with my sister in North Carolina to verify it but it seems as though she is making a last ditch attempt to stop the kids going home.”
The news has added to the heartbreak of the Corbett family, who have yet to lay Jason to rest.
Sarah and Jack Corbett. Picture: Corbett family“We all booked our flights and ferries and cars for Sunday to go back to Ireland,” Mr Corbett said.
“We’ve a large extended family in Britain and we’ve relations in Holland too and we were all coming home to have the funeral on Tuesday with Jason’s children present.”
If the appeal goes ahead, Mr Corbett fears it could delay the burial even further – which is putting strain on the entire family and, in particular, on their elderly parents.
“My mam is very frail,” he revealed. “She is a very Christian woman and she just can’t understand how Molly Martens could do this to us.”
Police in North Carolina confirmed to The Irish Post earlier in the week that they were investigating the circumstances surrounding Jason Corbett’s death – and that there was a “person of interest” in Ms Martens’ family.
“It’s just a waiting game now, all we can do is wait,” Mr Corbett said.
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