A grieving mother has told how she turned detective to hunt for clues herself after her son's tragic death.
The body of Christmas Kazadi Boina, a 19-year-old graphic design student originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was discovered in the wardrobe of a property he shared with his girlfriend in Glasgow last September.
His mum Tara accused police of being too quick to conclude the death was suicide and fears he could have been harmed - saying she was forced to knock neighbours' doors in Castlemilk to find CCTV herself.
Investigation still ongoing
Almost a year on from the tragedy prosecutors are still investigating the sudden death and Tara is demanding to see evidence of her son's final movements, saying mystery still surrounds the timeline of events.
Police have upheld only one of 18 complaints made by Tara about their investigation - admitting they initially delayed making adequate door to door enquiries to source CCTV.
Tara said: "I fear someone has done something to Chris. That is my fear. I want to see the CTTV that has been used to establish his movements. I've requested to see it."
She added: "We had different versions of what happened in the beginning so we now don't know what to believe. The police initially said there was no video footage. I went to Chris's apartment myself and saw neighbours had footage. I was the one who went out looking for it. I don't know where to turn next. I feel frustration and loneliness."
Family hires private investigators
Christmas was found dead by police at 12.45pm on September 27. In October last year it was reported how the family of the "ambitious" student, who volunteered at a law firm, had hired private investigators to probe the tragedy.
The family were not satisfied that the "bright" and "caring" Christmas took his own life and made an appeal for CCTV and footage, including doorbell and dash cam images, taken close to the property where he died on Tormusk Road.
The family say Christmas, who was studying at the City of Glasgow College, was "full of life, energy and dreams for the future". They raised thousands of pounds after appealing for help funding an independent investigation.
But Christmas's mum said many unanswered questions remained following the independent probe and she submitted a series of complaints to police over how the case was investigated.
Police admit failings
Police Scotland said that while some initial door to door enquiries were conducted at neighbouring properties in a bid to source CCTV - a "more comprehensive" door to door investigation did not take place until almost three weeks later, after the mum told investigators she had video footage as a result of her appeal which had not yet been considered.
The force said in its complaint response: "In these circumstances, a more thorough approach to door-to-door investigation should have been taken and this would likely have identified the camera and subsequent video footage which you later provided.
"While the video evidence...was subsequently reviewed and considered alongside the wider body of evidence, with the findings remaining consistent with the established understanding of Christmas's movements, I acknowledge that earlier identification of such material would have been preferable. I apologise that on this occasion the standard of service fell short of what you were entitled to expect."
Christmas is understood to have returned back to the flat at around 2pm the day before he was found dead and doesn't go out again. Police informed Tara they attended that day to trace him in connection with an investigation but there was no reply.
A man known to Christmas is also known to have visited the flat and gone inside that day but told police he did not see Christmas there. Police confirmed they returned the following day with a key and permission to access the property and found him dead in the bedroom.
Mum demands answers
Tara said the family were initially given different accounts of who visited the property by police and why. She said: "According to police Chris never left the apartment that day, yet the individual who was there claims not to have seen him. It doesn't make sense.
"Chris was chatting with his brothers the day before he was found. He was planning to work extra hours to get more money to send his little brother money for a birthday present. But supposedly a matter of hours later he took his own life. Where did he get the will to do it?"
The mum said she had also pulled her son's bank account transactions and raised what she believed to be discrepancies over Christmas's time of death and items bought by him. But police said they had also examined accounts in greater depth and did not find anything unusual.
Police chiefs did not uphold further complaints about the standard of their investigation and said a thorough investigation was made of the scene. They acknowledged some information about a man visiting the flat was initially withheld for operational reasons.
Tara said: "I've told the pathologist that my feeling is that there was something wrong with the case. I'm requesting to view the CCTV footage to verify the report provided by the authorities, given the conflicting accounts."
A spokesman for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said: "COPFS has met with the family of Christmas Kazadi Boina and is liaising with relevant agencies as part of ongoing enquiries. The family's concerns remain central to our investigation and they will continue to be kept informed of any significant developments."
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: "The complainer has now received a response to the complaint submitted."
