Mystery still unsolved of woman missing for the past five years
By Maurice Garvey
EYES and ears are focused this week on the general election – as was the case in 2011.
It may feel like a long five years for embattled members of the coalition, but spare a thought for the family of Esra Uryun – last seen leaving her Clondalkin home on February 23, 2011.
Missing posters put up in 2011 were replaced by election posters.
Esra (38), originally from England, and of Turkish descent, was living in Collinstown with her husband Osgar and son Emin.
She popped out at 7.20am to get milk at a service station before Osgar went to work, but was never seen again.
Esra’s family feel gardaí brushed off the case as a suicide from the get-go, neglecting to investigate anomalies, such as why a three-minute trip to the shop took 35 minutes, and why her handbag was found in the boot of the car.
Kids were off school that week, and no witnesses in Collinstown saw her leave at 7.20am.
The Renault Twingo she shared with Osgar, was first picked up by CCTV at the nearby roundabout on Neilstown Road at 7.55am. Gardaí found the vehicle that night in Bray, at a seaside carpark.
CCTV footage in Bray was unable to determine the gender of the driver, who seemed to be driving “aggressively and not like a woman”, according to Berna Fidan, Esra’s sister.
Berna has spent over €20,000 on over 20 bleak trips to Ireland since 2011.
“Somebody knows something – if they don’t want to talk to gardaí, they can do so anonymously at missingesra@gmail.com,” said Berna.
“Esra was looking forward to her mother traveling over to Dublin the week she went missing. There was never any history of mental health. What happened in the 35 minutes before the car was picked up by cameras in Neilstown.
Isn’t it a possibility someone flagged her down or hijacked the car.”
Running through multiple scenarios is having a detrimental effect on Berna’s health – not helped by a garda liason office who failed to turn up for an appointment with her last weekend.
Berna and her friend Ilknur, stayed in Aspect Hotel, Parkwest this week. They were unaware Esra actually lived in the hotel for the first six months in Dublin whilst working for Sporting Bet nearby.
“We’ve met people in The Plaza that know Esra – she was very distinctive and friendly,” said Berna.
“People can’t believe she’s still missing. I doubt gardaí canvassed Parkwest. Time has lapsed, they need a fresh pair of eyes.”
“Discreetly, we want to talk to anyone who knew her. It may seem innocuous but anyone who knew her at The Plaza in Parkwest, the gym, café, Giraffe crèche, Spar, it will help us piece together this mystery and put our minds at rest.”
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