Fire survivor Tabitha released from hospital

Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Tabitha, the sole survivor of a fire that gutted a senior prosecutor's house and killed six of its occupants last month, was released from the hospital on Monday. She was taken to the South Jakarta Prosecutor's Office, where she was met by her mother and office staffers.

Wearing pastel-colored pajamas and holding a doll, the five- year-old girl shied away from reporters and cameras as she was taken to the office of the head prosecutor, Himawan Kaskawa.

"I officially return Tabitha to her family's custody, especially her mother's. Hopefully, she will be decently educated and raised safe and sound," Himawan said to tearful family members.

Tabitha's mother, Claudia Jacqueline Esther Julliet Williams, who arrived here on Thursday from the United States, began to cry as she lifted her daughter.

"This has been a nightmare for me. I can't say anything but thank you to those who have helped take care of my mother and daughter, and to the prosecutor's office for carrying the burden that should have been ours," she said.

Jacqueline is the eldest daughter of Evi Kawet, a prosecutor at the South Jakarta Prosecutor's Office who died in the fire at her house on Nov. 8. Five other people, including two of Tabitha's siblings, also died in the tragedy.

Jacqueline said she and her daughter would be staying at her cousin's house in Jakarta until her husband, Royce Keith Williams, arrived in Indonesia and took them abroad.

"Tabitha will continue to take medication to recover from her burns while waiting for my husband to arrive," said Jacqueline.

Himawan said the girl's total medical expenses during her three-week hospitalization were nearly Rp 22 million (US$2,588). The bill will be assumed by the prosecutor's office, with help from residents of the housing complex for prosecutors where Evi's home was located.

Himawan also was cautious on the possibility of arson being behind the fire, a suspicion that arose after Tabitha claimed to have seen two unidentified men jump over the house's fence minutes before the fire began.

"I don't know, because so far police have not requested anything from us for an investigation. During her work, Evi hardly ever handled cases that had a lot of public exposure, mostly just relatively small cases," he said.

Himawan added that he had never heard of any threats being received by Evi because of her work.

City police detectives chief Sr. Comr. Mathius Salempang said on Monday statements made by Tabitha about the fire were not dependable because they frequently changed.