Fund-Raiser Held For Mother Accused
Of Trying To Kill Her Two Children
R S Shankar
An informal association formed to help a mother charged with trying to drown her two children, nine and six years old, has raised about $ 225,000 and is working towards raising another $ 600,000 by the middle of June when Narinder Virk's trial starts.
She is being held on a $ 500,000 bail. After paying for the bail, the remaining money will be used for the Virk defense fund, her supporters said.
Despite pleas by community leaders, the judge in Ventura County has refused to lower the bail.
Virk's children, who are living with their father, testified in the court a few weeks ago that their mother held their heads under the water. But they seemed to be confused in their testimony, with her son saying that he does not believe his mother wanted to harm him.
Most of the $ 225,000 was raised a week ago at the residence of Dr Amarjit S Marwah, one of the most respected of community leaders in America and considered to be the dean of the Indian American community in California. He plans to hold more fund-raisers. He has appeared at several gurdwaras in the area to drum up support for Virk. Dr Marwah has also attended court proceedings to show his support for Virk.
Virk was arrested on January 12 when the cry of one of her children woke up people near the harbor. Her supporters believe she was distressed when she heard that her husband, who had allegedly abused her for many years, wanted to divorce her. They believe she temporarily lost her sanity and tried to drown the children and herself.
Her husband, who was visiting India during the alleged murder attempts, returned to Los Angeles soon after.
She was under suicide watch for many days. Her supporters say she cries for hours on during the day and night and needs better psychiatric attention than she receives now.
Virk has very little education, and her supporters fought hard to convince the court that she was not a flight risk, and that the community would find her a home to stay during the trial. But the appeal was turned down.
The fund-raiser was held at Dr Marwah's home and was attended by more than 150 people who each paid $ 100 for the lunch and joined an auction later. The rest of the money was raised by auctioning handicraft items and other things donated by Virk's well-wishers.
Public defender Christina Briles has said she has seldom seen such an outpouring of support for any of her clients. In fact, she says during her two decade-long involvement in public defense, she has not seen any case that stirred so much of sympathy.
Most of the people who are helping Virk did not know her before the story of her arrest made headline news in Los Angeles publications.
Several women's association have pledged help. The fund-raiser was partly backed by the Society for Battered Asian Women. Several families offered to put up Virk once she is freed.
Briles said Virk's supporters understand her plight. She was afraid to go to any support group because she thought she would be disgraced or ostracized by the Sikh community. She says she is planning a vigorous defense that would also include cultural factors that drove her to the extreme.
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Mother pleads not guilty in drowning case
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