Rifnote
Loading your desk
Meghan Markle says she is ”deeply distressed”as father faces child sexual abuse images investigation
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, expressed that she is “deeply distressed” following reports that her estranged father, Thomas Markle Sr., is under investigation by authorities in the Philippines over alleged possession of child sexual abuse materials, according to CBS News.
The investigation was initiated after Thomas Markle Jr. reported discovering illicit photos and videos on an old mobile phone and in storage boxes at his father’s home in Cebu province while the octogenarian was receiving medical care in the United States. The findings were subsequently reported to the FBI, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and state police in Pennsylvania. On Friday, the Philippine Department of Justice confirmed that its anti-trafficking task force is officially reviewing the matter.
Thomas Markle Sr. has denied all allegations, calling them “sick lies” and asserting he has never downloaded illicit content.
In a public statement, Duchess Meghan noted that her longstanding choice to keep her distance from her father was made solely to protect her children, adding that her “sincerest hope is that justice will be fully served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children”.