Update in case of British woman, 23, shot dead by her own father in US
The mother of a British graduate who was shot dead by her own dad at his home in Texas has revealed she will travel to the US to persuade prosecutors to re-open the investigation.
Lucy Harrison, a 23-year-old fashion buyer from Warrington, in Cheshire, was shot through the chest by her father, Kris Harrison, at his home in Prosper, Texas, on 10 January 10 last year.
She was due to fly back home to the UK with her boyfriend the next day.
A coroner earlier this year concluded that Lucy had been unlawfully killed, finding that her father’s actions amounted to gross negligence manslaughter under UK law.
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However, across the pond, a grand jury in Collin County later decided there was insufficient evidence to bring criminal charges.
Mr Harrison had claimed the Glock handgun discharged accidentally while he was showing it to his daughter.
Mum to travel to Texas
Now Lucy's mum, Jane Coates, has said she felt 'incredibly alone' and 'deserted by the British authorities' throughout her campaign for justice and has urged the Government to give her their full backing.
She plans to now travel to the US to meet the district attorney and campaign for a fresh investigation, and has sought the help of Radd Seiger, who previously advised the family of Harry Dunn in their campaign for justice after the teenager was killed by a US citizen in a road crash in Northamptonshire.
"I think it’s not being heard – just raising all of our concerns and nothing being acted upon, and feeling like we’ve just been deserted by the British authorities," she said.
“Sarah Hall, my MP, has done everything in her capacity to raise and escalate Lucy’s case, it’s just felt like there’s been doors shut at every single opportunity, and people haven’t been there for us.”
She said she had expected the unlawful killing conclusion to become a turning point in her campaign for justice, but added: “We had to wait until February 2026 before we felt that we could freely speak about what we felt had happened to Lucy and how let down we felt.
“Receiving the unlawful killing outcome was a day full of complete mixed emotions, but one where finally Lucy’s truth and voice has been heard in some capacity.
“But from then it still hasn’t moved things forward in terms of my request for a reopening of the investigation in Texas.”
Ms Coates said she is planning to travel to Texas in the hope of persuading the Collin County District Attorney’s office to reconsider the case in light of the coroner’s findings.
Asked what a successful trip to the US would look like, Ms Coates said: “It would be that they do accept the outcome from the coroner in terms of the unlawful killing.
“Although I know that it’s a completely different jurisdiction, a completely different law, so it’s about appealing to them in terms of our real concerns with the US investigation, with the Texas investigation, and that they do agree to reopen Lucy’s case and give it new consideration. That’s the ultimate goal.”
Senior coroner Jacqueline Devonish ruled in February that Mr Harrison’s conduct had been 'reckless'. The inquest heard he had been drinking wine before removing a loaded Glock pistol from his bedside cabinet.
The coroner concluded the gun could only have been fired after it was pointed at Lucy, and the trigger pulled, and heard police officers in Texas did not carry out an alcohol test despite smelling alcohol on his breath.
Ms Coates said she was not asking the Foreign Office to interfere in the American justice system, but wanted ministers to publicly support her family.
“Surely, having an unlawful killing conclusion in a coroner’s court should then mean something, and I definitely thought that it would have been escalated in the Foreign Office,” she said.
“I’m not calling for the Foreign Office to interfere in jurisdiction abroad… but to be a voice for Lucy and for our family – to know that we are supported by the British Government, to be able to campaign for the case to be reopened.”
The family have requested a meeting with Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband and other senior officials. Ms Coates told PA that campaigning for justice had left her little chance to grieve for Lucy and that the second year had brought the reality of losing her only child.
She explained: “I think this second year has been much harder actually than the first.
“I think the first year was cocooned by shock, and so I just went through it in ‘doing mode’, and just being driven to try and do everything I possibly could to get Lucy a voice and justice for her.
“I think, at the moment, I’m in this position where I’m feeling that I’ve kind of got two daughters in one sense – like this campaigning daughter, where I go into this campaigning mode, and this mum who is campaigning for justice for Lucy, and she’s become a campaign,” she said.
“But then I’ve got my real daughter. I know the two are the same. But that softness is there, and I think it’s just allowing myself to have those opportunities to just be in that place, just me and Lucy."
"I have felt incredibly alone"
Asked what she would say directly to the Foreign Secretary, Ms Coates said: “I would say I am a bereaved mum who wants to do everything I possibly can to ensure justice for my daughter and to do the right thing by her and for her.
"I really do want the full support of the British Government behind me, so that I no longer feel alone.
“Because I have felt incredibly alone, and I’m not a bitter person. I will not allow bitterness to eat me or to consume me. It’s not who I am.
“Lucy is one person, but she represents so much more than one person – she does represent doing the right thing, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s in the UK or the US. We all know right from wrong.”
An Foreign Office spokesperson responded: “Our thoughts remain with Jane and her family for the tragic loss they have suffered.
“We were in contact with the family and provided consular support. We will always look to learn lessons to improve the consular support we offer to other families in the future.”
It is understood Foreign Office officials are reviewing recent correspondence from Ms Harrison’s family and intend to respond. The Collin County District Attorney’s Office has been approached for comment.
James Holt