Meghan Markle's mother, Doria Ragland, reportedly helped authorities identify Thomas Markle Sr. Earlier this month, Markle was arrested after reports surfaced connecting him to child sexual abuse material.
© MEGAAs reported by PEOPLE, Ragland assisted federal investigators, including helping identify her ex-husband in some photographs. The Duchess of Sussex is also willing to collaborate with federal authorities if necessary.
Markle Sr. was arrested on Nov. 6 on a child pornography charge. He did not enter a plea and was released into his home in Lakeland, Florida, where he lives in a senior living home. His arraignment will take place in a future date, in California.
© Getty ImagesIn October of this year, The Sun reported that Thomas Markle, Meghan's half brother and Markle Sr.'s son, found "hundreds" of disturbing images in Markle Sr.'s home in the Philippines.
He denied the allegations. “I’m shocked, I’m hurt and I’m very upset that my son is making these accusations against me. I could never do what I’m being accused of. It’s the worst thing anyone could accuse me of," Markle told The Daily Mail.
What Meghan Markle has said
© Getty ImagesMeghan Markle addressed the disturbing claims in a statement to PEOPLE, sharing that they were one of the reasons why she's enforced distance from her father, a topic that the media has covered extensively.
“I am deeply distressed at the news that has come to light in the last 24 hours, and my thoughts are with any children who may have been harmed,” she said.
“In 2018, a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection. That letter was subsequently shared with me. It made troubling and disturbing allegations against my father and I was given assurances that these were being investigated."
Meghan revealed her father had not had contact with her kids, Archie and Lilibet, whom she shares with Prince Harry. “I hope it can now be understood that, despite certain media publications’ distortion over the years, any distance from my father and my choice to not allow him to have contact with our children, was for one reason: to protect them," she said.
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