The parents of a British teen killed in a car crash allegedly involving the wife of a US diplomat have been left reeling after a meeting with US President Donald Trump.
Tim Dunn and Charlotte Charles, the parents of 19-year-old Harry Dunn, have appealed to Trump to waive diplomatic immunity for Anne Sacoolas, the woman accused of fleeing the UK to escape prosecution following her alleged involvement in the fatal crash.
The 19-year-old's parents want Sacoolas, 42, sent back to the UK to face investigators.
- Parents of UK crash victim Harry Dunn plea with Anne Sacoolas to 'do right thing'
- Boris Johnson wants diplomat's wife who allegedly killed teen to return to UK
In their search for justice, Dunn and Charles met the President and former reality TV star in the White House on Tuesday (local time). It was then revealed that Trump had organised a surprise meeting with Sacoolas, with cameras reportedly standing by to capture the encounter.
"I think the family feel a little bit ambushed, to say the least," Radd Seiger, the Dunn family's advisor and spokesperson, told the BBC.
"I thought we were coming down to have a debate on the diplomatic immunity law... it soon became clear to us that the real reason for inviting us down was to try and get Charlotte and Mrs Sacoolas in a room together."
"The bombshell was dropped... Anne Sacoolas was in the building and was willing to meet with us," Charles told reporters outside the White House.
On Harry's GoFundMe page, which has currently raised more than £62,000, Seiger claimed "several photographers" appeared to await a press call in the Oval Office.
The Dunns refused to meet with Sacoolas, later claiming they would "love" the meeting to happen on their terms and "on UK soil".
"It struck us that this meeting was hastily arranged by nincompoops on the run... the family remain open to the possibility of meeting Mrs Sacoolas one day... but in a neutral and appropriately controlled environment," Seiger confirmed on the fundraising page.
Seiger added the President "hinted" he may look at "approaching the problem from a different angle".
Trump confirmed he arranged the meeting on Wednesday, telling reporters the Dunns "weren't ready" to meet "the person in question".
He also attempted to justify the accident, saying "it's very tough" for Americans in Europe as "the roads are opposite".
"That happens to a lot of people, by the way," he claimed.
White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham told BuzzFeed News that Trump wished to "personally offer his condolences... to comfort the victims of a tragic accident." She also claimed the "bombshell" meeting was arranged at the request of Boris Johnson.
The accident
On August 27, Harry Dunn was riding his motorcycle when Sacoolas reportedly drove out of the RAF Croughton US Air Force base onto the wrong side of the road, hitting Dunn head-on.
Although the suspect was not identified by authorities, she has been widely named by British media and politicians since the accident. Sacoolas subsequently claimed diplomatic immunity and fled back to the US earlier in October.
Police have said she initially agreed to cooperate with the investigation before she left the country.
In an interview with the BBC, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he hoped she would return to the UK.
"I hope that Anne Sacoolas will come back and engage properly with the processes of law as they are carried out in this country."
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