YOUNG Latvian mother Liga Verse might have been a troubled soul but she was clearly a popular island resident and, whatever the as yet unexplained circumstances, her death is a tragedy.

The shock of her bereavement, however, has been compounded by the news that her family are struggling financially to pay for her body to be sent home for burial.

As people try to come to terms with their loss – a process not assisted by the time it is taking to release meaningful details about the incident – the thought that Liga’s family might not be able to afford a proper funeral in her homeland is all the more distressing.

That makes the offer by King Balti to donate 60% of its takings at a special fund-raising event especially public-spirited.

Similarly, a special service is to be held at the Town Church to remember her life, the same church that she and a male accomplice burgled in 2008 when she was evidently deeply under the influence of drink and drugs.

It is clear that Guernsey is a compassionate society and these responses to a young woman who came here at just 17 are an indication of how quickly Guernsey embraces its residents.

Only those away from home know the difficulty that distance adds to an already traumatic situation and, when money is tight, that makes matters very troubling.

It is telling that the police have been involved in the need for the fund-raising initiatives and all the money that King Balti’s event collects will be passed to the force to be used on behalf of the family.

The other thing that makes this so distressing is time. Until enquiries have been completed, a second post mortem concluded and an inquest agrees to release Liga’s body, her family cannot even plan repatriation, funeral and a proper grieving process.

That is not to be critical of the police. The investigation is said to be particularly challenging and complex and has to be handled with skill and rigour.

Until that is completed, however, no one knows what really lies behind the tragedy and the lives of a shattered family remain on hold.