Hollyoaks actor urges 'murdered' mum's friends not to go to stepdad's funeral
Dawn Kerr was found dead alongside her husband Andrew Searle's body in the Aveyron region of France on February 6.
The prosecutor in charge of the case previously described the case as a murder-suicide, in which Searle is alleged to have killed his wife before taking his own life.
There was no evidence that anyone else was involved in the deaths.
Prosecutor Fabrice Belargent previously said that 'the analysis carried out does not so far show any evidence that a third party was involved'.
More than six months later Searle's body has been released by the French authorities and his funeral has been planned.
But Dawn's two children, Hollyoaks actor Callum Kerr along with his sister Amanda, have issued a statement asking friends of their mum not to attend his funeral.
They said that while the investigation into the deaths was ongoing, they 'cannot ignore the circumstances as they stand'.
In the statement shared on social media, the siblings said: 'In the absence of any evidence suggesting third-party involvement in the tragic death of our mother, Dawn Kerr, the prevailing hypothesis remains that of a murder-suicide.
'Our mother was killed by multiple blows to the head, and Andrew was found deceased by hanging.
'His injuries are consistent with self-hanging, and no defensive wounds were found on his body.
'While the official investigation is ongoing, we cannot ignore the circumstances as they stand.
'For this reason, we must respectfully but firmly request that our mother not be included in any way in the funeral arrangements being made for Andrew.
'Please do not share photographs of them together. Please do not attend Andrew's service if you were a friend of our mother.
'It would be inappropriate for her memory to be associated with a service honouring the man who, based on all available evidence, may have been responsible for her death.
'We ask for understanding, privacy and respect as we continue to grieve and seek justice for our mum.' More Trending
Dawn's body was found in the garden of the couple's home in Les Pesquiès, about an hour north of Toulouse, with severe wounds to her head. Searle's body was found inside the house.
Police were called after a neighbour went to check on the couple when they didn't turn up to a planned dog walk.
The couple, who were both aged in their 60s, previously lived in Musselburgh, near Edinburgh, and married in France in 2023 with son Callum walking Dawn down the aisle. They had lived in the Aveyron region for five years.
Callum played PC George Kiss in Hollyoaks, and has also appeared in Netflix's Virgin River. He lives in the US where he also has a country music career.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
MORE: Streamer found dead in bed after '10 days of torture and sleep deprivation'
MORE: Driver admits killing woman, 22, in 140mph Christmas Day crash
MORE: Food influencers narrowly escape death after car crashes into restaurant table mid-review
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
12 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Meghan Markle's silence questioned as Prince Harry leaves secret letter at royal event
Meghan has kept quiet while Harry has made attempts to heal the Royal rift in recent weeks. Prince Harry is making a concerted effort to mend fences with the Royal Family. But Meghan Markle has remained conspicuously silent following her husband's latest peace offering. Earlier this week it was revealed the Duke of Sussex discreetly left a secret letter at a royal event attended by King Charles and Queen Camilla. He reportedly asked a friend to subtly leave a note and a wreath of red poppies at the Burma Star Memorial, in honour of the national VJ Day commemorations. The letter was placed after Charles and Camilla had departed to avoid detracting from the service, which paid tribute to the sacrifice of Second World War heroes who fought and died in the Pacific and Far East. However, Meghan did not sign the letter. And this isn't the first time she's maintained her silence in recent weeks, as experts have pondered why she hasn't voiced support for her husband amidst a 'devastating' boardroom dispute. Earlier this year, the Duke stepped down from Sentebale, the charity he established to assist children orphaned by Aids in Lesotho, following a tense confrontation with the chairwoman, Dr Sophie Chandauka, reports the Mirror. Harry was reportedly devastated by the disagreement, which resulted in all parties being reprimanded by the Charity Commission for allowing the dispute to become so public. Many anticipated Meghan would publicly support Harry. However, her continued silence has raised eyebrows amongst royal observers. In her latest Instagram post, Meghan chose to sidestep the ongoing controversy. The Duchess, 44, shared a video on Tuesday of herself preparing and serving a lemon pasta spaghetti dish. Prior to this, she promoted the upcoming second series of With Love Meghan. Royal expert Dr Tessa Dunlop said: "Now that Meghan and Harry have signed a new Netflix deal ('looser' and apparently less lucrative than the previous $78m one but a deal nonetheless), might the Duchess find her voice? "Not the one she volubly uses to hawk As Ever wares (in conjunction with Netflix) but rather the voice Meghan famously re-found after leaving the Royal Family, the one that talked her truth to Royal power and surely could talk her truth to the Sentebale fiasco? "No, really, why hasn't Meghan come out batting for Prince Harry in his latest round of verbal fisty-cuffs concerning his former African charity? "After all, the Duke has consistently spoken out in support of his wife, establishing the precedent early on and against the wishes of his family when he condemned Britain's media coverage and insisted he had never before witnessed such a 'degree of pressure, scrutiny and harassment' from the press." She added: "As it currently stands, Harry cuts a lonely figure. The Charity Commission 'identified a 'strong perception of ill treatment' swirling in the unhappy waters of his former charity, Sentebale. "It was a terse ruling that exonerated no one; all parties remain incandescent, particularly the aggrieved prince, who insists the report has fallen 'troublingly short'. "In other words, the Duke of Sussex's nemesis, Dr Sophie Chanduka, is still at large, running Harry's former beloved Sentebale. The Duke could really do with some public TLC, especially from his wife, whose own issues with said Dr Chanduka were allegedly caught on camera at a polo match Sentebale fundraiser." This follows the confirmation by Harry and Meghan that they have extended their deal with Netflix, having signed a new "multi-year, first look deal for film and television projects". While the duchess was quick to celebrate the signing, experts claimed that the deal is a downgrade for the couple. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Daily Record
14 minutes ago
- Daily Record
'Psychotic masterpiece' that was 10 years in the making is leaving Netflix very soon
Ari Aster's latest horror will soon be coming to cinemas in the UK, but another divisive work is currently streaming on Netflix until this weekend Netflix is presently hosting a terrifying epic from celebrated filmmaker Ari Aster - though time is running out to catch it. The mastermind behind contemporary horror gems Hereditary and Midsommar unveiled his newest thriller Eddington in American cinemas last month, with UK audiences set to witness it on the big screen later this week. The film has already stirred up heated debate among critics and viewers due to its unconventional approach, early pandemic backdrop and bold political statements. However, another of his works that has similarly divided opinion remains accessible on Netflix for merely a handful more days. We're naturally referring to his 2023 tension-fuelled horror-comedy, Beau Is Afraid, anchored by an exceptional turn from Joaquin Phoenix as a man pushed to madness's edge by a looming visit to his mother and unforeseen catastrophe, reports the Mirror. This Kafkaesque tale left certain viewers bewildered when it debuted, whilst its punishing three-hour duration also presented difficulties. Nevertheless, a devoted fanbase has persistently championed the film, arguing it merits viewing before departing Netflix on Saturday, 23rd August. One glowing five-star Google critique gushed: "This film takes you through the nightmarish journey into all the different traumas that quite literally stay with the child for the rest of their life. "Stunning. I know it won't be everyone's cup of tea but for those that feel it, versus just seeing it, I know will masterpiece by Ari Aster." Another branded it "absolutely wonderful" and a "cult classic in the making". "This maybe the single best movie I have ever seen," they declared. "I mean that sincerely. I say this because to even think of a movie like this is already a wild accomplishment, but to execute it this flawlessly and make 3 hours interesting to the extent that my mind never wandered off even once, is something rarely accomplished by film. "I was glued to my TV wanting to see what creation was coming at me next." The acclaim carried on over on Letterboxd, where one viewer gushed: "This is f***ing insane. Every twenty minutes I had to check in with myself to be like 'How did we get to this point' because it's non-stop psychotic thing after psychotic thing. "This movie is balls-to-the-walls (literally at times!) Ari Aster insanity. Disgusting, hilarious, heartfelt, traumatic and most importantly: unique. No wonder it took him ten years to make this." Meanwhile, a final five-star critique declared: "Each rewatch just further cements this as one of the best things I've ever seen. "One of the most intelligent psychologically ambitious and sophisticated horrors ever. In ten years when everyone is calling this a masterpiece just remember who was here first, trapped in this nightmare. Ari Aster's Best to date." Will you be setting aside some time for a three-hour fever dream before Beau Is Afraid departs Netflix? Beau Is Afraid is available to stream on Netflix until Saturday, 23rd August.
Daily Mirror
14 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Body found in search for missing man who vanished following fatal boat accident
Last Thursday, a man was reported missing after he was on board a boat that crashed near Tipner in Portsmouth as another man who was on board was pronounced dead at the scene Police have discovered a body in the search for a missing man after a boat crash last week. The man's body was found on Tuesday morning, five days after he was declared missing following the accident last Thursday night off the coast of Tipner in Portsmouth. Police are still working to formally identify the body, but next of kin have been informed and are now being supported by specialist officers. On Thursday, a private inflatable boat crashed, killing a man in his 60s, from Emsworth, and leaving another man in his 50s, from West Sussex, in need of hospital treatment. The latter victim has since been discharged. Police had been searching for the third man on board, from Portsmouth, ever since. The force said it's preparing a file for the coroner following the discovery of his body on Tuesday. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary's senior investigating officer detective superintendent Abbie Leeson said, 'We are aware the community has been both saddened and shocked by this incident and we want to reassure you that our enquiries to establish the full circumstances are ongoing.' The police, and the victim's family, thanked the public for sharing the appeal, contacting the police and helping with the search, reports The News. After the crash, a spokesman for the force said: "Officers were called to the area just before 8pm. "A man in his 60s from Emsworth was pronounced deceased at the scene. His family have been informed and will be supported by officers. A man in his 50s from West Sussex was taken to hospital, but has since been discharged. 'Enquiries are ongoing to locate a third person, a man in his 60s from Havant, who is still outstanding. We are liaising with the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) during the early stages of an investigation to establish what has happened.' In July, a British woman has died after a fatal white water rafting accident in a popular French tourist hotspot as local cops launch a manslaughter probe. The Brit, in her 60s, died on Saturday after the horror incident that happened shortly after midday, near the town of Briançon, in the French Alps. The victim fell from her raft during an outing that was supervised on the Guisane River and she was later "found on the riverbank", according to local firefighters. She was discovered by emergency services and rushed to a local hospital, in South East France, near the border with Italy.
