Parents demand answers over daughter’s death in Pakistan – and disappearance of their grandchildren

A grieving couple was left desperately searching for answers after their daughter died suddenly on a trip to Pakistan with their two children, whose location is still unknown 18 months later.

Kelsey Devlin, 27, died in 2021 after flying to Islamabad with children Zara and Zain, after receiving news that her mother-in-law was dying.

But three weeks later, she died in hospital, leaving Burnley parents Judy and Sean Devlin with no answers, and no idea what happened to their two young grandsons, aged 10 and 8.

Mrs Devlin had already been buried when her parents found out she had died.

They eventually received a death certificate, but they say it contains “gross inconsistencies” and false medical information.

The couple now want to exhume her body and return her grandchildren to the UK.

Father Sean Devlin, 55, told the Mirror: ‘I lost my girl and I don’t even know where she is buried. That is barbaric. There are so many unanswered questions about how she died, we just want to bring her home.”

Kelsey flew to Pakistan on June 3, 2021, but was in hospital two days later.

Mother-of-ten Judy, 49, described how they were initially told Kelsey was sick with coronavirus, then sepsis, and was in a coma.

They were only able to speak to Kelsey once in a video call in which she described feeling like her insides were “on fire.”

The family learned nothing more until July 1, when Kelsey’s ex-partner, who had not accompanied her ex or their children to visit their family, texted sister Chloe and told her that she had died during the night.

The only contact the family has had with their grandchildren since then was a phone call from 10-year-old Zara shortly after her mother’s death, allegedly telling them that she had died.

Mr. and Mrs. Kelvin repeatedly requested Kelsey’s death certificate for months, before a copy was finally sent to them, but it only raised more questions.

The only contact the family has had with their grandchildren since then was a phone call from 10-year-old Zara shortly after her mother’s death, allegedly telling them that she had died.

According to the hospital, Kelsey died of sepsis, a stroke and cardiopulmonary arrest.

But he also listed her with epilepsy since birth, said she was married and had converted to Islam, the Mirror reports.

Her parents say none of those details are true: Kelsey was not married, she was not an epileptic and she was not a follower of Islam.

They accept that she participated in a non-legally binding marriage ceremony while in Pakistan with her partner, but say she was not legally married.

The death certificate also had the wrong age for the 27-year-old.

Her family received a photo of Zara and Zain by a grave reportedly her mother’s, but they have lost all contact with her ex’s family.

They arranged a funeral for Kelsey, disembodied, in October, and appealed to the Foreign Office for help.

Local MPs Antony Higginbotham and Naz Shah lobbied the government to get involved in Kelsey’s case, but the family has yet to see any progress.

According to the hospital, Kelsey died of sepsis, a stroke and cardiopulmonary arrest, in addition to having epilepsy from birth, was married and had converted to Islam, the Mirror reports.

They say that while Kelsey was in hospital, they repeatedly called the British embassy in Pakistan, eventually being told that a member of staff would visit her.

His parents say that despite this promise, the visit never took place.

Kelsey’s sister, Chloe, told the Mirror: “Kelsey was the best mother – she was with the kids the whole time, they must be lost without her.” What she liked the most was taking them to the park and one of the local inflatable games.

“We all loved spending time together as one big family. I used to stay at Kelsey’s all the time.

Father Sean added: “Kelsey’s life matters, and I feel like as we are a family on a property in Burnley no one is interested.”

An FCDO spokesman said: “We are supporting the family of a British citizen who sadly died in Pakistan.”