Ashley's family: "Unacceptable to think she deserved that"

Firenze, 9 febbraio 2016 - In the last few weeks much has been written in the media about who Ashley Olsen was. The family of Ashley Olsen has decided to break their silence to offer to the people of Florence and the world a better understanding of who their beautiful daughter and sister was as a person. This letter has been given to the attorney of the family, Mr. Michele Capecchi, who has been requested by the family to share it with the same media who have been present since the beginning, to clarify a few aspects of the story of this beautiful girl. Our Ashley has always been the most vibrant woman we have known and she had an energy that touched everybody around her. She could turn the mood in any room to a festive atmosphere enjoyed by all.

She was always a beacon of love and good will. Ashley was a loving daughter and sister, who was true and honest. She will forever be loved and missed by her family. Ashley first came to Florence in 2012 with us and she instantly fell in love with the culture and people of this amazing city. She eventually had to go back to the United States but vowed to, one day, make Florence her home. After working for two years to save the money she needed, she finally returned to Italy in June of 2014. She was able to fulfill her dreams of living the “Florentine” way of life and pursuing her passion for art and fashion. Unfortunately, her dreams and ambitions have been cut short in a senseless crime. As a family, we feel it now is necessary to speak publicly because the statements made by the accused and the press have depicted Ashley in a way that is far from the truth. Some of the reports in the media and statements made by the man accused of taking her life (who was not an acquaintance of hers) are contrary to Ashley’s morals, beliefs and personality as we know her.

It is unfortunate that Ashley is not here to speak about what happened that night, only the person who was with her truly knows. The Italian authorities have some idea, but we have not been given much information. Therefore while the investigations are still ongoing, what we know for sure is that in the days preceding her death our daughter was suffering from and being treated for a severe bladder infection, for which she had begun taking antibiotics. She never would have consented to any sexual activity with anyone during this timeframe, and in light of her medical condition, it simply would not make sense. If it is true, as the authorities declared during a press conference, that Ashley was under the influence of alcohol or other substances, then any type of sexual activity that she might have had that night was not consensual. She was not the kind of girl who would have consented, willingly.

Furthermore the fact that she spent her last hours in a club is not a sin nor should it be used to judge her character or her life style. It is therefore unacceptable, offensive and deeply wrong to think – as has been insinuated – that she “deserved what later happened to her” simply because she allowed a stranger in a public place to talk to her. In addition we do know that her two cell phones were taken from the apartment after her death and that other personal belongings are missing as well. But for any other realistic and reliable information we need to wait the conclusion of the investigation. While, we cannot bring Ashley back, we can help keep her legacy as a beautiful, kind-hearted woman alive. We are thankful for the efforts of the police, our lawyer and prosecution team for working on Ashley’s case as well as for the quick apprehension of the accused. We trust that the Police will conclude their investigation and provide us with clear answers regarding the events leading up to this brutal murder, without being influenced by the unwarranted and offensive information published about Ashley by some of the media. Their hard work will allow us to find out what really happened that horrible night and ensure that justice is served.

Sincerely, Walter and Paula Olsen, and Gabrielle Olsen Bogart