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Grieving mum 'felt pain' of stab victim's parents

Paul Burnell
BBC News, Manchester
BBC Ibrahima Seck's father clasps his arm around his wife while others stand beside them wearing white shirts with Ibrahima's picture. Floral tributes are laid out on the ground in front of them.BBC
Ibrahima Seck's parents (centre) watched more than 1,000 people march past the place where their son was attacked

A mother whose 16-year-old son was fatally stabbed said she had tried to console the "broken" parents of a teenager who was killed in Greater Manchester earlier this month.

Kelly Brown, whose son Rhamero West was murdered on his way to school in Old Trafford in 2021, attended a march against knife crime following the death of 14-year-old Ibrahima Seck in New Moston on 8 June.

Ms Brown said she came face-to-face with Ibrahima's parents at the "emotional but powerful" gathering.

"I was just staring at his mum and she is broken, and it just took me back to when I first heard Rhamero had been stabbed, I felt her pain," she said.

Three boys, two aged 14, the other 16, have been charged with Ibrahima's murder and possession of a bladed article.

Ms Brown told BBC Radio Manchester: "I spoke to his dad – I held his hand and said 'I know how you are feeling'.

"He looked at me right in the eye and I said 'I have lost my son too'. Then we just hugged each other."

Kelly Brown with a brightly coloured patterned jacket stands in front of a mural on a brick wall.
Kelly Brown has campaigned for bleed kits across Greater Manchester

The mum turned knife crime campaigner said the march was "a brilliant idea" and communities affected by knife crime were stronger together.

She said: "We need more of this to tackle knife crime, everyone is being affected by knife crime. When is it going to stop? Enough is enough."

She founded the charity Mero's World Foundation after her son's death, and successfully pushed for the installation of more than 60 bleed kits across Greater Manchester.

The kits are designed to stem severe bleeding from wounds.

Family handout Rhamero West, wearing a white Diesel brand t-shirt under a blue jacket, smiles at the camera in a gardenFamily handout
Ms Brown's son Rhamero West was murdered four years ago

Ms Brown said she has spoken to a headteacher of a primary school in New Moston to arrange a talk with pupils about knife crime later this month.

"I feel it is very important to reach primary schools before the children transition to high school - normally I never get a reply to my emails to primary schools so I am grateful to this headteacher," she added.

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