THE sister of murdered German student Inga Maria Hauser has appealed for justice and said she "won't rest" until she gets answers.
In Monday's Irish News, Friederike Hauser spoke for the first time about the impact of the tragedy and revealed her younger sister's ashes were "sent like a parcel" to her grieving family.
The 18-year-old backpacker went missing after arriving in Larne on a ferry from Scotland in April 1988.
Inga's body was found two weeks later in a remote part of Ballypatrick Forest, near Ballycastle in Co Antrim. She had been sexually assaulted.
Friederike said it was two weeks before the post office would release the ashes to the family.
"She was sent like a parcel, we got a ticket to collect her".
She also said the family were informed through a telephone call about the day Inga's body was discovered when they had very little English and police in Northern Ireland provided no translator.
"My mom picked up the phone, she was lost, I tried to translate what was even possible, my speaking skills weren't good at this time", said Friederike.
"So from this time, I practiced hard with English.
"My mother adored Inga"
The investigation into Inga's murder was reopened on the 30th anniversary of her death and a man arrested and questioned.
A file has been sent to the Public Prosecution Service and a decision is expected in the case within weeks.
Human rights lawyer Claire McKeegan, who represents Friederike Hauser, and respected academic Professor Phil Scraton had been due to host a conference at Queen's University on the case. It was cancelled however due to the pandemic, with an online conference instead broadcast this week.
Ms Hauser also spoke to the BBC last night and said she wanted to "get to the bottom of who took their baby sister".
"I won't rest until I get all the answers...I want justice", she said.
