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Brianna Ghey's mum 'refuses to hate' her killers and feels 'signs' from her daughter like cherry blossoms and rainbows
15 February 2024, 10:53
Brianna Ghey's mother has said she refuses to hate her daughter's teenage killers.
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Esther Ghey said she didn't want to feel "any harmful" emotion towards Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, who murdered 16-year-old Brianna in Warrington last February.
But she also said she hadn't forgiven Jenkinson and Ratcliffe for their crime, for which they have both been jailed indefinitely - although she didn't blame their parents for their actions.
Ms Ghey told LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast: "I refuse to feel any hate towards them. But that's not because I necessarily forgive them but it's because I don't want to hold on to such a harmful emotion that will prevent me from being productive and from moving forward.
"And I feel sorry for their parents because they've also been through something... so horrific and they've sat through court and listened to what their children have done.
Brianna Ghey's mum refuses to hate her daughter's killers
"And I think it's such an absolutely horrific situation all around really, and really I don't blame the parents."
Jenkinson and Ratcliffe lured Brianna to Linear Park in Warrington, Cheshire, before stabbing her to death. Brianna was stabbed 28 times in the head, neck, chest and back. Both killers were 15 at the time.
Jenkinson was sentenced to at least 22 years in prison. Ratcliffe was jailed for 20 years. But they may never be released, and will only be let out if a parole board permits it after they are deemed safe.
Watch Again: Nick Ferrari is joined by Brianna Ghey's mother, Esther Ghey | 15/02/24
Ms Ghey said she still feels Brianna's influence around her, despite her death.
"I don't feel like I can sense her presence, but I do feel like there are signs perhaps.
"So like during driving significant times in the year - I think it was the day of the trial or the evening of the trial - there were some really unusual rainbow clouds that were reported on and pink skies.
"And when she did pass away the cherry blossoms in our local area bloomed bigger than ever, and I just feel like it gives me comfort and it gives me hope to feel like that is her like pushing me on and telling me that I'm doing the right thing."
Ms Ghey said that they had put a "pink fluffy rug" in Brianna's bedroom, which she always wanted but never had when she was alive.
She added: "We've got lots of things that were collected at vigils and things that have been sent to me from from really kind members of the public.
"It's a nice place to sit in and to remember Brianna, we've got a photograph wall with our lovely pictures of happy memories, and it's a nice place to sit."
Jenkinson had watched videos of torture and murder online before killing Brianna.
Ms Ghey is campaigning for mobile phone companies to take more responsibility for safeguarding children against the risks of accessing harmful content.
She said: "What I would like to see is that there are mobile phones that are suitable for under-16s which you cannot download social media apps [onto].
Ms Ghey said that "there's also software already available, which schools are using, that will flag up concerning words that young people are searching and I would like to see that... connected to the parents' phone so that if any words are searched that like the ones that Scarlett and Eddy were searching in Brianna's case, that would be flagged up to the parent.
She said that she believed "that if if that was in place, then maybe it would have made it a lot more difficult for Scarlett and Eddie to do what they did to Brianna."
Ms Ghey is also working with a charity called the Mindfulness in Schools Project to improve young people's mental health.
She said that Brianna struggled with mental health problems, and a similar initiative could have helped her to be happier when she was alive.
