He was a son not a boy we hosted - foster mother

For as long as she lives, Grace Pace will always remember the kiss her foster son, Maxim Vorobyev, gave her just hours before he went missing.

"I will never forget it. That kiss will remain ingrained in my mind until I die," the distraught woman said.

She last saw Maxim, the Russian orphan she fostered for the past seven years, on February 25, when the 16-year-old planted a big kiss on her cheek before she left for work.

Later that day, Maxim failed to return home after running an errand for his foster mother. His body was retrieved from the sea in Valletta 10 days later and a post mortem examination concluded that it was death by drowning.

"It was like a bolt out of the blue. I never imagined something so horrible would ever happen," she said, adding that Maxim was a happy child with a good heart, who used to help everyone.

"I will remember him until I die. He was not just a boy we hosted, but our son."

The tragic end to the frantic search for Maxim has left a big void in the family's life, including his older sister, Alessia, and younger brother, Artem, who were fostered by Mrs Pace's sister, Carmen Spiteri, and live in the same block of flats in St Ursula Street, Valletta.

The three orphans were reunited after years of living apart in different orphanages. Mrs Pace said her husband, Albert, did not want to move from Maxim's bedroom. Sitting in the same bedroom just days after the boy went missing, Mr and Mrs Pace leafed through photos of the youngster as they recounted the hours leading to his disappearance.

Maxim, who enjoyed cooking, had prepared chicken with mushrooms for himself and Mrs Pace. But, in a telephone conversation, Mrs Pace had pointed out that she could not eat meat because it was Ash Wednesday. The teenager told her not to worry because he would prepare an omelette instead.

Later, Maxim was asked to take some jelly to the shop of Mrs Pace's brother in Republic Street so he could take it to hospital to an ailing relative, who passed away some days later. He never made it to the shop and never returned home where Alessia was waiting for him to watch a movie together.

Sadly, on Sunday morning a body was spotted floating in the sea on the Valletta's side of Grand Harbour, near the fish market. A Casio watch and a key attached to a keychain of a red footprint, both found on the corpse, were immediately identified by the family as Maxim's and the key fit in the Paces' front door.

Mr Pace went to hospital to identify the body on Monday and recognised his foster son from a mark on his body. An autopsy held on Monday concluded the boy's death was "consistent with drowning", although toxicology tests and dental record checks still had to be carried out.

Forensic experts said no signs of violence had been found on the teenager.

The Pace family is relieved that the Russian authorities have given permission to bury the youngster in Malta. They are now waiting for the inquiring magistrate to release the body for burial.

"At least we can keep him here," Mrs Pace said.