The distraught family of Amy Fitzpatrick has called on the Irish government to press Spanish authorities into upgrading their probe into a murder investigation.
Christine Kenny, who is the Irish teen’s aunt, urged Tanaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Micheal Martin to intervene after claiming evidence passed to the Guardia Civil was not acted upon.
One of which was a tip-off she received which said Amy’s remains are buried in a disused Hippodrome racetrack in Mijas, Spain - just a 10-minute drive from where she vanished.
Christine said she received an anonymous call a couple of years ago claiming her niece had been murdered and that her remains had been buried in the fifth stable.
Speaking to the media, before hand-delivering personalised letters to politicians at Leinster House today, she explained: "Amy’s case is archived so it means they’re (Spanish police) not looking on Amy’s case and haven’t been looking on it for years but it needs to be upgraded to murder.
"And this is what I'm trying to get done now. If it's upgraded to murder, they can start doing investigations and things like that.
"But unless that happens we’re not getting any further so I’m just hoping that will happen."
At present, Amy’s case has been marked as "archivado" - which is common practice in Spain for unsolved mysteries.
This means the probe will be reopened once new information or evidence is found.
Speaking about the Irish government’s response, Christine said: "It’s a disgrace and it’s a disgrace that our government has treated this as nothing.
"She (Amy) is an Irish citizen and needs to be found and at the end of the day she is someone’s child and that someone’s child is my brother.
"She is somewhere out there, none of us know where she is and it’s not for not searching. We have gone over on a good few times … something has to be done."
Christine said she feels like she has been failed by successive governments.
Amy’s aunt added: "It’s a fighting battle from the time you get up until the time you go to bed trying to get the proper information which never comes forward."
Christine revealed she will never give up on getting justice for Amy.
When asked how she felt about delivering letters, she said it was very emotional.
She explained: "It’s very emotional and it’s terrible that we have to do this but unfortunately we have to do it, if it’s left lying it’ll be forgotten about totally.
"But I can guarantee you, I will never ever ever let this go until justice is served for Amy."
A heartbreaking letter from Amy’s biological father Christopher to Tanaiste Micheál Martin called for his help.
The letter, which was read by Christine at the gates of Leinster House, said: "I have lost both of my children tragically in tragic circumstances.
"And all I want is to be able to visit her alongside her brother. Our family is brokenhearted. Please help us find Amy and bring her home and lay her to rest."
The family has also written to Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, Justice Minister Simon Harris and a number of TDs.
The Sinn Fein leader said she hoped to see action by the Irish government and said the family has been through agony.
Amy vanished from Mijas, on the Costa del Sol in Spain, on New Year’s Day 2008.
She was last seen when she left her pal Ashley Rose’s home at 10pm where she was helping babysit Ashley’s brother in Riviera del Sol, near Mijas.
From there she was to return to her own villa – a 10-minute walk away.
At the time Amy was living with her mum Audrey, her stepdad Dave Mahon and her brother Dean.
On May 25, 2013, tragic Dean, 23, was stabbed to death by his stepfather Mahon, who later served 5 years in prison for Dean's manslaughter.
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