Mum pays tribute to ‘beautiful’ Ukrainian girl, 14, found dead on Dawlish beach in Devon

The mother of a 14-year-old Ukrainian refugee found dead on a British beach has paid tribute to her “beautiful” daughter and said “nothing can ever replace her”.

Albina Yevko was found dead on Dawlish beach in Devon on Saturday evening (4 March), just hours after she was reported missing.

It is understood that she fled her war-torn home after the Russian invasion to the Devon town in May last year and was attending the local secondary school.

The 14-year-old, who was living in the area with her mother, was found unconscious on the beach and was airlifted to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, but she sadly later died.

In a short tribute, her mother Inna Yevko said the family was “devastated”. She said: “Myself and my family are devastated to have lost our beautiful Albina. Nothing can ever replace her in our hearts. We ask that our privacy is respected at this incredibly painful time.”

Devon and Cornwall Police say the cause of her death is still “unexplained” and forensic toxicology reports from a post mortem are expected to provide answers later this week. The force said it is keeping an open mind but her death is not currently being treated as suspicious.

It was understood that Inna and her daughter were living with a host family after fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. Tributes have continued to pour in for the tragic teen, with those who knew her expressing their shock at her death.

Olena Kravchenko, 39, a married accountant from Kharkiv, who also came to the UK in May with her daughter, Vasilisa, seven, had grown close to the family. She said: “I didn’t believe it when I heard she had died. I thought this is not about her. I thought it was about another person, or a pet - a cat, hamster or fish. I couldn’t believe it.

“Nobody thought it would be that way. We came abroad to find a safe place, so nobody could imagine that this could happen. Albina was lovely girl. She was calm, she was smart.

“I can’t say she was very communicative. As with all kids [from Ukraine] she was with some stress and some not understanding how it will be one year later. She was normal teenager - calm, kind, smart. She was a very good girl."

Ms Kravchenko said she met Albina’s mother Inna at a local church in Dawlish shortly after arriving in the UK last year and had been supporting her. She added: “For any kid, it’s difficult to adjust. Our kids could learn English a little bit, but they can’t speak good. This isn’t a second language for them. They can known only a few phrases and it’s difficult to make friendships.

“I don’t think she was struggling with something. She didn’t speak about struggling. Her mum, she never said about any problems in school. She didn’t speak about this. I can only assume she didn’t have any problems."

Ms Kravchenko, whose husband and brother are in Ukraine fighting, said that Inna was from an area called Kryvyi Rih. She added: “It was normal to meet people like this because all our lives, being displaced from Ukraine, we are on the move.

“I found out about Albina on Sunday. Us Ukrainians speak with each other, and if something bad happens, of course people will call or message. It’s a close community. My message to Inna would be don’t give up. Everything will be good one day. For all Ukrainians.

“Albina was really nice person. She didn’t offend anybody. She was nice girl. And Albina her mother, she is really brilliant person - she is a good mother, a good worker and a good friend. I can’t say anything bad about either of them. She loved to read books, she was a normal kid.

“My daughter was playing with Albina and they listened to music together. Her daughter was the one point of her life. She is alone and she had only a daughter. It is so sad.

“It’s like you lost your friend. We knew this girl. She was a normal teenager. We are willing to support Inna with everything that we can and give her everything she needs.”

Another close family friend Viktoriia Zviholska, 38, also paid tribute to the teenager, describing her as “very bright, smart and interesting”. She added: “She was a good person. I can’t believe this could happen to her.

“Albina always discussed with her mother what she would do and where she would go. They liked England. Albina rejoiced at the new school. I found good people in them. I have only good memories of our time together.”

Detective Inspector Becky Davies said a police investigation is ongoing as officers try to “piece together Albina’s final hours”. She said: “Officers continue to undertake door-to-door enquiries as we try to identify any witnesses or CCTV footage that capture Albina’s movements. Whilst this death remains unexplained, we are not currently treating this death as suspicious.

“We await the results of the forensic post mortem due to take place on Thursday, but in the meantime we ask that the family and loved ones of Albina are given space and privacy as they come to terms with their loss.

“Our thoughts are very much with those who knew Albina at this tragic time, and the close-knit Dawlish community who will no doubt be in shock over this loss.”

Anyone with any information or who may have CCTV / doorbell footage that can assist officers with the investigation is asked to contact [email protected] quoting case reference 50230052081.