Dad too distraught to identify kids

Scotland Yard has charged South African mother Tania Clarence with the murder of her three small disabled children.

The British police said in a short statement last night that she would appear before the Wimbledon Magistrate's Court today charged with three counts of murder.

Postmortem examinations of the children that began yesterday were continuing, the police said.

It appears that a bereaved Gary Clarence, Tania's husband, has struggled to face the task of identifying their children's bodies.

This emerged when The Times contacted Scotland Yard earlier yesterday to ask why the names of those involved had not yet been officially released. A police spokesman said: "At this stage we don't have a formal identification, it has not taken place."

Asked what a formal identification entails, the spokesman said: "A relative or next of kin has to formally identify the [victims]." Failing that, a post mortem is used to identify the victims.

Clarence, who arrived back in London yesterday, was reported to be in "absolute shock".

Four-year-old Olivia and twin boys Ben and Max, 3, suffered from spinal muscular atrophy, a severe genetic disorder. They were found dead at home on Tuesday evening. Their mother had suffered minor injuries, for which she was treated at a hospital before being arrested. There are as yet no details of her injuries.

The South African-born couple's eldest daughter does not suffer from SMA. She was with father on holiday in South Africa when they received the news of the deaths and the arrest of Tania.

The mother had given up her career as a graphic artist to devote herself to caring for her severely ill children.

A picture of a woman under immense strain has emerged from friends.

Clarence, a director at Investec, travelled often.

A friend and neighbour, who did not wish to be named, told The Times: "He had his business and he went away. Before Christmas he went to South Africa with the two girls [it was reported that Clarence lost his father in October] and he also went to Atlanta to watch the golf. And then he had time out again in South Africa [when tragedy struck at home in England]."

The friend said she hoped that her speaking out would help people realise the enormous stress and strain Tania, who had probably "not had a decent sleep in years", was under and that they would show her some compassion.

SMA severely limits the lives of sufferers. The couple found out that their four-year-old daughter suffered from the disorder when Tania was already pregnant with the twins, who were born premature and later found also to suffer from SMA.

A family friend in South Africa said Gary had lost his father to cancer in October.

Gary and his eldest daughter were accompanied by his brother, sister and mother, who all live in South Africa, when they flew to London on Wednesday night.

The friend said that the Clarences were "the loveliest family".

Gary's father founded the large Birchwood Conference Centre, near OR Tambo International Airport, which the family still runs. - Additional reporting by Katharine Child