I am a friend of the British woman Virginia Owen who died here in Sosua last week.

Her brother Dan who had to come here from England and I took her to hospital she was in such a bad condition. She died a few hours later.

RIP Virginia my friend

there was an article at http://www.dominicancentral.com/newsarticle/british_woman_dies_of_starvation_in_the_dominican_republic/
Has anyone heard any more on this, like why she starved and no-one took her to hospital earlier?

I am a friend of Virginia Owen who died on 12th October. I live in Sosua but her boyfriend
Michel Magnusson, formerly from Sweden did not want me or her family in England to know.

I kept hearing how sick Virginia was and contacted her brother Dan who arrived on 11th November. We got her to the new hospital in Sosua by Ambulance on Tuesday and sadly passed away in the night.

The Doctors and Staff at the Hospital were as shocked as us to see a person in this sate.

Her boyfriend had control of her ATM card and thinks he has a legal 'Will'.

I have spent the last two weeks helping her brother Dan to deal with the death of Virginia, Funeral, Police, Fiscal and Media.

I am only thankful that she is out of the hands of her boyfriend who has been calling us with threats.

The boyfriend left her dying in her bed. She had no food, water or medication. The hospital said she was in so much pain and her back was full of bed sores.

RIP Virginia I just wished I had know what was going on.

SylviaDR

Interesting and very sad indeed.
Strangely enough, the boyfriend was described in another forum as a "lovely" mate and other "friends" of Virginia did not want to elaborate on the case.
In a civilized country Michel would be under investigation and certainly be accused of denial of assistance.
My condolences to the real friends and relatives of this unfortunate lady...

Thank you.

Sylvia DR

Michel is a gigalo (Sankie) he is well known for it. He has lived in this country for about 27 years and lives off ex pat women. I tried to warn dear Virginia when she first got involved with him. Sad to say she didnt listen and he has taken all her money and mistreated her. Please make her family aware of this and advise them to hire a shark lawyer to help them push the cops to investigate this man's bank accounts. There is no doubt in my mind he is responsible for her death. I know this scum well and know how he operates.

This is what the foreign press are saying about it, make of it what you will...

A WEALTHY woman who immigrated to the Caribbean from Britain mysteriously starved to death after meeting a new boyfriend.

Virginia Owen, 48, moved to the Dominican Republic in 2006 with her £200,000 ($327,500) life savings.

Her family said Ms Owen, a former store manager from Berkshire, southern England, was seemingly healthy when she went to live in the beach town of Sosua after her marriage collapsed.

She met Hans Michel Magnusson, a 54-year-old Swede, and the couple moved into a two-bedroom apartment by the sea.

Her brother Daniel, 40, flew to see her this month when the family became concerned for her safety and said that he found her in a squalid apartment, looking like a "bag of bones," covered in bedsores and unable to speak.

She was taken to a hospice, where she died of starvation the next day, October 13. An autopsy found that she was also suffering from liver cancer, which her family said they did not know about.

Mr Magnusson was arrested but later released without charge.

Ms Owen initially kept in regular contact with her family until five months ago. Her family said that Ms Owen's emails turned sinister and threatening, and her mother said she was surprised that the emails were written by her daughter because they were in poor English.

Rosemary Walkley, 73, said she phoned her daughter’s apartment and spoke to Mr Magnusson but became worried when she heard her daughter crying out in pain in the background.

"It was so dreadful to hear her in such agony," she said. "I asked Hans to take her to a doctor, but he said they didn’t have any money. Virginia flew out there with £200,000 - how did her money run out so quickly? I told Hans to take her to hospital and we would pay the bill."

Henry Ventura, of the Sosua police, said an investigation was under way.

There is NO investigation. The Police kept telling me & Dan (her brother) to go to the Fiscal which we did several times. They kept telling Dan & I we need a Lawyer.

As we all know Lawyers cost money..could take years to deal with. Dan her brother would have to keep returning here etc.... the problem goes on.

There is no justice in this World ! Poor Virginia was a good, kind person and did NOT deserve the pain and suffering she went through.

Everyone is asking why Michel (her so-called boyfriend) did not tell her family. They would have helped with proper care for her.

Sylvia

its a very sad situation indeed that this sort of thing happens,i just like to say that for anything to happen you will need a lawyer to go further if the police dont want to know,also you dont need money up front for the investigation to start,you just need a understanding lawyer who will work on a percentage to recoupe the money any which way he can,that way justice can be done.

Marnie - I am investigating this terrible matter alongside with the family and in order to make progress your help, anonymous or otherwise, would be absolutely vital. Please contact me on jacksonlewis59@hotmail.com as soon as you can. Thank you very much, the slightest information could be of huge help.

There have been 3 British reporters here in Sosua making their investigation about the tragic death of my friend Virginia Owen.

Questions need to be answered by her boyfriend Michel Magnusson. Unfortunatley he would not talk to the reporters.. wonder why ?

Well done again to the Daily Mail www.dailymail.co.uk for sending reporters here.

Tell the fiscal that a thief stole 500 pesos or someone murdered a poor wretch; he won't do much about it.
Tell him that there is a good amount of money to be milked from a gringo/a and he will act on the spot...

chinchin

This is true. Two British woman have died in Sosua in the last few months.... A American Lawyer too... that's just the ones I know about.

The murder of the couple confessed to have killed 10 (!) more foreigners...
Oh yes, he was supposed to be in prison (for 20 years) but somehow (?) was not...
Paradise is next to hell.
chinchin

I hate to say it but this isn't Paradise we are living amongst some savages not all but a lot are like animals and have no regard for human life. If you live here you need some self defense training or Martial Arts training. I have a website and I teach self defense & Martial Arts to everyone and you are never to old to learn. I've had several altercations one thug had a pistol and five guys tried to jump me if I wasn't trained you probably would be reading about me also. I'm not trying to promote my school I just want to help someone who wants training. It makes me sick to hear and read about the brutal crimes against us.
kungfucabarete.com

Yes, you are right.. I was physically abused at Cafe Cubano recently by some fat, ugly white guy...who I have never seen before.

I was talking about my friend Virginia Owen and he interupted my conversation with friends accusing me of being a liar etc....

I wish I had had some self defense lessons I would have kicked his ass.

I'm sure there are a group of men that hate women for one reason or the other.

I helped the family find out about poor Virginia being in that condtion... where were these people when she was sick and they knew about it and decided that her family should not be informed as she was dying anyway....disgusting behaviour.

Sylvia DR

Ok but remember it's self defence when some one attacks you and you have no other options send me an email philbusler@yahoo.com or kungfucabarete.com I can teach you how to defend aganist a man and even kick his ass as you say.

This looks like an update http://www.dominicancentral.com/newsarticle/british_woman_dies_of_starvation_in_dominican_republic/

There are a lots of lies going on, especially from her sankie "boyfriend" Hans (Michel) and her so called friend "SylviaDR" (as usual)
They could have taken her to the free hospital or told her family or real friends and they didnt.
Sylvia was NOT a friend of Virgina. Virginia didn't like her much because of her reputation. I just wish I had known, but I hadn't seen her for a long time.
Everyone is asking the same question Sylvia, if you were a friend of Virgina, why didnt you take her to hospital long before she reached this dreadful state and died and why didn't you know that Michel had robbed her? You are lying as usual to get attention which you always crave. You are banned from many places in Sosua because you cheated people by not paying bills when you took newbies in your "Residents Club" to restaurants etc. That is why so many people no longer belong to your club.
How dare you use this lovely woman's death to get attention again. STOP IT PLEASE.
I contacted the British Press when Virgina died and helped the family with the Senior cops here, they haven't finished with this yet and we will keep up the pressure until we find out where her money has gone, but I think we all know that......

I could say more, but I do not want to detract from this thread on Virginia's very sad death.
RIP Virginia
Her money is all gone, and her credit card abused.

I am glad I don't have "friends" like any of these people and I am certain I am not alone in thinking this. In the words of Edward Howe, surely "when a friend is in trouble, don't annoy him/her by asking if there is anything you can do. Think up something appropriate and do it". The whole sad affair is sinister and outrageous & I have never heard of anything like it in 25 years of being an expat around the world.

OMG give me a friggin break. SylviaDR, you were not Virginia's friend. She stayed away from you because you have the much deserved reputation of ripping people off for thousands of dollars. You are Sosua's biggest scammer. We who live here know that full well. You are a self serving little b!tch who will only do something when you benefit directly financially. I don't feel sorry for you. All the bad press about you and your reputation you have was brought on by your thieving actions. Do us all a favor and get the hell out of the DR while you still can. You cause a lot of problems here for a lot of people and no one I talk to likes you or wants to have anything to do with you.

Virginia made her wishes very clear. Hauling her off to hospital kicking and screaming as her brother and this Sylvia b!tch did was totally against her wishes as was being taken back to the UK. She wanted to remain here in death as she had in life. You Sylvia and Virginia's brother took that away from her and you have the gall to call yourself a friend. Pathetic.

This "Marnie" person certainly did NOT help my brother with the police. Sylvia DID however. Whatever you think of Sylvia, she was the ONLY one who helped him in the DR. READ MY POST ON THE OTHER THREAD to see my reply to "Iknowthe truth"
They very obviously DONT!

I knew Virginia and Michel very well. Virginia would furious with Sylvia Cheal for spreading all these lies about Michel. Virginia loved Michel.
I know the truth too. When I first arrived in Sosua 3 years ago it was Virginia that warned me about Sylvia being a con artist. Virginia said. "I still pretend to be her friend but I don't trust her." She scams everyone she can while pretending to help them. I figure she was renting a room to Virginia's brother. I bet he was ripped off since he arrived. Virginia told me she hated her family because her mother said Michel was just with her for her money. Michel tried to get her to eat but her liver was gone from drinking too much rum. Michel made some money selling real estate and I bought a motor cycle from him for $3500.00. That money went into their living expenses. Virginia phoned me 6 days before she died to ask How I was doing. She was worried about my health. I had no idea that would be our last chat. Sylvia is the one who should be ashamed of herself. She is a con artist and everyone knows it.

I'm wondering if "Iknowthetruth" and "los cerros" have the guts to identify themselves, instead of hiding behind their monikers...

HI, i don't know Sylvia or Virginia, or Michel or anyone else here regarding Virginia's death but, i have spoken to a few people in town who did know Virgina and saw her drinking every single day, all day. Could it be simply that Virginia drank herself to death--and her liver collapsed as a result--as so many people do everyday. The few people i spoke to about this sad story all said the same thing: "Virginia loved to sit at the bar and drink all day." If that is true--and again, i did not know her or anyone else here--then maybe her docter was correct in his assessment: "Virginia died either from CIrrosis of the liver or LIver Cancer."

One would think that the British tabloids or reporters who came down here to report this story would have contaced her doctor and asked him for his opinion on why she starved to death? Instead, they chose not to contact him and yet, it was of his opinion that she died from Cirossis of the liver or Liver Cancer.

"WSP" if you were one of Virginia's close friends you would know who i am. There is enough information in my post to easily identify me to her real friends. Why does it require guts to become known to you? Are you planning to attack me for stating the truth? I am doing what Virginia would want me to do.

It would appear that the general public is either stupid or just can't read......Virginia died of liver cancer, she did not starve to death..the hateful person that posted the photo of her on the Internet, took a picture of a dying women, fabricated the news story with malicious lies, made false accusations against Michel (whom Virginia loved with all her heart and he loved her) and did it for their own monetary gain, wanting accolades and press, thinking no one would see thru their vicious condemnation. They were wrong! There is no story here people. Leave Michel and Gin's friends to grieve for their loss of Virginia. Thanks Los Cerros, we know the truth. No matter how tragic and sad this is,it is still not a "public" issue, we know the people who started all this, they are heartless. Gin was attended to at home by a doctor, she refused to go to the hospital and I have proof. My dear friend is dead and so is this topic.

THE DAILY STAR SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT!
They finally got the story straight! Shame on you Sylvia!

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/view/160757/Real-life-Shirley-Valentine-s-death-natural-/Real-life-Shirley-Valentine-s-death-natural-Real-life-Shirley-Valentine-s-death-natural-

Thanks for the update Los Cerros and all the comments about SylviaDR. They and Marnie's comments are right.
She is the biggest con artist here and is banned from many bars and restaurants because of it. Even her children have gone back to England.

I apologise for digressing from this dreadful death of Virgina. But I was very mad also that Sly Sylvia used Ginnie's death to get attention and Ginnies' family were taken in by her.

Ginnie is at peace now and not suffering anymore, that is the most important point.

I find these messages from so called "friends" very interesting.I would like to know which one of you visited Virginia when she became ill? Who took steps to make sure her family in the UK were aware of her illness? Who treated her terrible bedsores? Who of you gave her even a drink of water to quench her terrible thirst? Which one of you held her hand and comforted her while Michel was at Rocky's having a few beers on her birthday? The CMC REPORT has been sent to the family. SHE DID NOT DIE FROM CANCER OF ANY KIND. She WAS "severely dehydrated, malnourished and she also had "SACRAL ULCERS"(bedsores).She was suffering from a few TREATABLE problems but unfortunately, none of her "friends" saw fit to get her any or contact her family so they could help her. If you are wondering why the family didn't help until it was too late, it was because they had emails purporting to be from Virginia saying she was "fine" - the only contact we had. She could not possibly have written them. There is a lot more to this than can be put here. Yes, AMBAR, Virginia is not suffering now -but she never should have, should she?

Virginia drank 100 ounces of beer every day starting at 9:00 a.m. and 15 ounces of Rum (More or less in the evening) until she passed out. If you tried to stop her she would turn on you immediately because she was addicted. She drank herself to death. If she sent people e-mails that were not up to her past "eloquent self" . . . don't try and invent some sinister conspiracy theory. She was pissed out of her tree. I don't know why you persist in this. Everyone on the scene knows the truth, and you should all be ashamed of yourself for denying the truth and disparaging Michel and now trying to include the rest of us. We were her friends and she hated her family with the exception of her brother. I have nothing whatsoever to gain from this. But you creepy, stupid pasty faced British people in her family are starting to really piss me off. Virginia drank her self to death and Michel is in pain. You make me sick! You not only let Virginia down in life, according to her, but it pales when compared to how you have let her down in death. Michel was the light in her life however dull that light might have been in your eyes.

"A police spokesman said: “The forensic pathologist certified Mrs Owen died of hepatic cancer and/or ­hepatic cirrhosis."

No idea why this is being dragged up again.
According to the later report...
"Dr Freddy Salazar was the local GP who treated her on many occasions during the last two years of her life.
Dr Salazar says he is under no doubt that Virginia’s death was down to either liver cancer or cirrhosis of the liver."
For anyone who is still unsure about what she died of, take the matter up with Dr Freddy. Surely his answers will be pretty factual as he has no axe to grind.
Sarah, if you have an autopsy that says different then post the results. A CMC report is not the same.

Is Doctor Freddy the G.P. also the Medical Examiner (Coroner)? In the U.K. that would be called a conflict of interest.

Still no-one has answered my questions. Please note, no accusations have been made against Michel -only very pertinent questions have been asked. If anyone feels they are accusations, it is only because the answers to these questions make it obvious what has happened. Only the facts have been stated. True friends would not be so disparaging of Virgina. And if she only loved her brother-why wasn't he informed? No one is answering these questions because they cannot justify what they did not do. D.H. -If you reply to my email, I will send you a copy of the death certificate. I know who you are.

Is Doctor Freddy the G.P. also the Medical Examiner (Coroner)? In the U.K. that would be called a conflict of interest.

Still no-one has answered my questions. Please note, no accusations have been made against Michel -only very pertinent questions have been asked. If anyone feels they are accusations, it is only because the answers to these questions make it obvious what has happened. Only the facts have been stated. True friends would not be so disparaging of Virgina. And if she only loved her brother-why wasn't he informed? No one is answering these questions because they cannot justify what they did not do. D.H. -If you reply to my email, I will send you a copy of the death certificate. I know who you are.

Again, i don't know anyone here involved in this issue, including Virginia. Still, there's a few points Sarahuk makes that needs addressed:

1.)Despite Freddy (I don't know him either) being both a GP and medical examiner, i seriouly doubt he would know either Virgina or Michel, so i can't understand how this is a "Conflict of Interest." Also, remember, Sosua is a small town so i seriouly doubt that they have the funds to support a Coroner, much less a medical facility. My God, they don't even have enough funds to support their one lone fire truck and several other neccessities that help run a small town.

2.) How do you get a loved one to stop drinking and seek help if he or she does not want to (which is so often the case)? Virgina was of her own free will and could have returned back to England and sought medical help at the preliminary stages of when she got sick. these things (Cirrosis of the LIver or Liver Cancer) don't spring up over-night and kill you. they take months, often times years, and there are many, many signs that would have told her that she was sick, if not gravely ill.

3.) AT Virginia's later stages, when she was bed ridden and near death, she would have shunned food and in many cases, even liquids. this is very common and consulting any doctor will verify this. this why I.V's are almost always required in order to help avoid dehyrdration. however, if Virginia refused to go to a hospital or simply wanted to pass away at home with her loved one, then who has the right to refuse her this last request?

4.) a few months before Virgina passed away, she could have consulted her brother, asked him for help, and requested many other things. however, it seems this was not the case. if so, why not face the facts:
A.) she must have known she was gravely ill but refused to go to a hospital after she was given her "terminally ill" diagnosis from her GP Freddy.
B.) Many people, including Virginia, self-medicate themselves everyday with either alcohol or other forms of chemical drugs, and no amount of cohersion from either friends or loved ones is going to pry them away from their vices.
C.) Family members whom are not around--ones who live far away, have a problem facing a grim reality and acknowledging that their loved one, no matter how intelligent, loving, and caring, choose to live their lives the way they choose and see fit, and this includes making unhealthy choices or living unhealthy lifestyles.

i apologize for butting into this discussion but, i work at a bar, and i unfortunately witness, on a daily basis beautiful, nice people, like Virgina, making unhealthy life style choices. i believe that's called free will.

Sorry Frank "I don't know anyone here"12 -you have dropped yourself in it. I refer to your no.1 comment "I seriously doubt he (Freddy) would know either Virginia or Michel" and in no.4. A)"She must have known she was gravely ill....after she was given her "terminally ill" diagnosis from HER G.P FREDDY.
You obviously KNOW Freddy was her G.P.by that statement -and you are local to Sosua. You KNOW Freddy is the Medical Examiner. He's mentioned in Dominican Central DAILY. OF COURSE IT'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST! AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING -WHY ARE YOU SPECULATING ON WHAT VIRGINIA REFUSED OR DIDN'T REFUSE? HOW ON EARTH WOULD YOU KNOW WHAT SHE SAID? Of course she chose her lifestyle -we aren't arguing with that. She had free will to choose that. What she DID NOT have at the end was FREE CHOICE! SHE DID NOT HAVE COMMUNICATION WITH THOSE WHO LOVED HER. THAT WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM HER. You are not aware that a friend contacted her in September and spoke on Skype to her. She could hardly speak and as we now know unable to move her arms. SOMEONE was holding the phone for her. That person cut her off and no further connection could be made after that. That's what kicked off the concern for her well being. - Oh - and you forgot to mention that she would obviously liked to have died in agonising bedsores in a filthy bed. You have NO IDEA. You may work in a bar -it doesn't qualify you to make judgements on someone you did not know or use HEARSAY to uphold it. Sorry if I sound angry. It's because I am.

I don't see how Frank has dropped himself in it - as you put it. His post is objective and just stating basic facts as they appear. I would guess Dr Freddy didn't do the autopsy, if one was done, as he is in Sosua and autopsy's are done in the capital. Not sure how you can contrive this to be a conflict of interest, unless you are suggesting he had something to do with the whole sad affair. If you are a family member, what did the autopsy state?
If a friend contacted her by skype in September and someone cut her off, and she could hardly speak, why didn't that friend sound the alarm or come over and check the situation back in September.
For those of us that live here and don't know the couple involved, it sounds like a not uncommon occurrence when a person's liver packs in after a certain type of lifestyle, which seems to be what Dr Freddy stated.
If you have actual facts that indicate something else happened (like an autopsy report) then I'm sure there are plenty of people here that would listen, so not sure where you are going with this, as everything seems to suggest liver failure.

Friend contacted Virginia end of September and contacted family soon after after being very concerned. This is not being "dragged up again" it is not finished. The investigation is ongoing. There is more evidence to be considered. We are not in denial. Virginia had a lifestyle typical of most ex pats in D.R. She was living the dream.
If someone with a serious disease gets run over by a car and later dies, the driver still has to answer for his careless or reckless driving. The cause of death still has to be determined.
Please be patient. The investigation has not been concluded.

Unless i missed something here, it is over; the investigation is concluded (at least on the dominican side), the cause of death has been determined--either cirossis of the liver or liver cancer, there have been no charges filed, Virgina's body has been sent back to England and presumably buried. And unless there is something new on her autopsy report that you are not revealing here, it's time to move on.

unfortunately, right now, you're coming across as someone understandably very hurt over your friend's death, but unfortunately, as so often is the case, you want to blame someone, anyone, and by God, until someone stands up and takes the blame for what sounds like a self-induced and preventable death, the family or friend's whom live 2000 miles away are not going to drop it. unfortunately, at this point, it's like a Witch Hunt, and you're the one leading the "hunt" right now.

As i stated earlier, i have to unfortunately sit in a bar down here and watch good, nice--often times beautiful people--just like virginia, do the exact same thing to themselves over and over, week after week, month after month, and year after year. it would be comical if it weren't so unbelievably tragic.

by the way, what exactly are you referring to when you say the "investigation has not been concluded?" Are you referring to your "investigation", or is there another investigation still going by the police back in England?

Virginian if you are watching this from a better place you obviously know everything and there is nothing I can say that will make a difference to you.. But if as I suspect there is no "hereafter" we can all take comfort in the knowledge that you do not have to witness this. Rest in peace my friend.

NEWSFLASH FROM BBC This is not a Witch Hunt. It is a search for justice. Even if boyfriend was too stupid or ignorant to wash Virginia or turn her over and dress her weeping bedsores and even if he was not aware that she was dying of thirst, her blood pressure was dropping so low that her heart would stop through lack of blood, even if he is too ignorant to realise that you do not go grey overnight, or starve within 5 days - he was not too stupid or ignorant to scoot off to the bank every other day to draw out the maximum daily amount.No, it's not about the money -but significantly -it shows MOTIVE for keeping her incapacitated for so long and out of public view. Motive for not informing the family. It wasn't Virginia that hated her family -it was HANS MICHEL MAGNUSSON who hated us -because we spoke the truth. He wanted her money. We want you all to know the facts. Oh yes there are his cronies who post on here stating Virginia's last wishes. Only got their word for that -unfortunately Virginia could not not speak up then or now, but her family who loved her can. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-12511900

It was not her money it was their money you stupid bitch. They were married in every sense of the word. I am Virginia's friend first. Michael is the only victim here. You make me sick! What do you expect to achieve from this. Pull your head out of your ass you stupid Jehovah's Witness people have pea sized brains to begin with. I have nothing to gain from defending Michael except my own self respect for standing up to you idiots for my dear friend Virginia.

It was not her money it was their money you stupid bitch. They were married in every sense of the word. I am Virginia's friend first. Michael is the only victim here. You make me sick! What do you expect to achieve from this. Pull your head out of your ass you stupid Jehovah's Witness people have pea sized brains to begin with. I have nothing to gain from defending Michael except my own self respect for standing up to you idiots for my dear friend Virginia.

There I said it again!