ROwley Regis, UK — The godmother of 10-year-old Shay Kang has said she is “broken” and disappointed that a murder trial did not take place following the girl’s death at the hands of her mother.

Kayleigh Colclough, who helped co-parent Shay during the first five years of her life, told ITV News Central that she believes the circumstances surrounding Shay’s death should have been examined in a full court trial.

Shay died from stab wounds to the chest after being killed by her mother, Jaskirat Kaur, also known as Jasmine.

Kaur, from Rowley Regis, pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility in August. She was subsequently sentenced to an indefinite hospital order.

Ms Colclough spoke about Shay’s life and the close bond they shared during an interview at Lightwoods Park & House in Bearwood, which she described as one of Shay’s favourite places to play.

“She was my world and when she was taken away, it broke me,” Ms Colclough said.

She recalled falling in love with Shay from the moment of her first scan and described the child as a source of happiness in her life.

Changes in Shay’s Mother’s Behaviour

Ms Colclough said she had noticed changes in Kaur’s behaviour and mood over the years. She also alleged that Kaur had physically assaulted Shay when she was younger.

She described Kaur as becoming increasingly abusive and jealous of Shay.

Following Shay’s death, Ms Colclough said she struggled to process what had happened.

“I screamed, I was angry, I punched the wall,” she told ITV News. “For the first eight weeks, I didn’t know who I was.”

She said she had never believed Kaur would kill Shay and added that she no longer wanted any relationship with her.

‘Every Child Deserves a Voice’

Ms Colclough said she believed a murder trial would have given her an opportunity to raise concerns about Shay’s life and potentially provide information that was not heard in court.

She said she did not believe Kaur would have received a manslaughter sentence based on diminished responsibility if a trial had taken place.

“I think every child deserves a voice and Shay didn’t get one,” she said.

Ms Colclough also expressed concern that there were aspects of Shay’s five years living with her that had not been fully explored.

According to statistics cited by the NSPCC, at least one child is killed each week in the UK as a result of abuse or neglect. Between 2022 and 2023, 74 children were killed in confirmed offences of murder, manslaughter and infanticide, with parents or stepparents responsible for many of the deaths.

Because there was no murder trial in Shay’s case, however, it remains unknown from the court proceedings whether abuse or neglect played a role in her death.

Ms Colclough said she wanted Shay to have received the justice and opportunity to be heard that she believed she deserved.

“Children are our future,” she said.

SOURCE: ITV News Central, Ravneet Nandra, October 25, 2024.