Father paralysed with grief by deaths of three children

Eight-year-old twins Austin and Luke Riggi and their five-year-old sister Cecilia were found in an Edinburgh townhouse a week ago following an explosion.

Their mother, Theresa Riggi, 46, who is being treated in hospital after apparently falling from a second-floor balcony, has been charged with their murder.

Engineer Pasquale Riggi, 46, spoke yesterday of his last outing with his "happy, healthy, bright" children and how he celebrated what would have been Cecilia's sixth birthday on Monday.

Speaking from a hotel in Aberdeen, Mr Riggi said: "You are paralysed with grief. You are not sure what to do next.

"It is bad enough that you have lost three beautiful children, but certainly the tragedy around their deaths makes it much more painful.

"The reality of it all is difficult to take all at once. You can't even get your head around it."

Shell employee Mr Riggi, who is from Colorado, and his wife, from California, came to live in the UK 13 years ago. They lived in Lowestoft, then spent two years in Holland before moving to Aberdeen in February 2007. The couple later separated and had begun divorce proceedings.

Mrs Riggi left the family's home in Aberdeenshire with the children at the beginning of July to move to the modern townhouse in Edinburgh.

Police and fire crews called to a suspected gas explosion at their home in Slateford Road found the bodies of the three children.

Mr Riggi is being comforted by his parents, sister and brother-in-law, who travelled from the US to be with him.

He last saw his children on July 4 when they were treated to a day out at Aberdeen beach to celebrate US Independence Day. He added: "The memories that we have of Austin, Luke and Cecilia will forever provide joy and comfort as we go through the weeks, months and years ahead."