Maya Chappell was murdered by her mum’s boyfriend, who she had only been with for nine weeks, in a horror death – her family has called on the public to sign a petition to try and change the law
Maya was murdered by her mum’s new boyfriend (Image: Chronicle Live)
A family has fought for a new law to help save children from abuse after their toddler was shaken to death by her mum’s new boyfriend.
Michael Daymond attacked Maya Chappell, 2, with such force that damage found in her eyes was similar to that suffered by people in car accidents, a court previously said. Maya’s great aunt, Gemma Chappell, 48, has pleaded for a new law to help save kids from potentially abusive or deadly parents or caregivers. The heartbroken aunt stressed how crucial the proposed change was, and told The Mirror: “If someone’s got a concern about a child, then this law is for them.”
A petition on the government’s website has more than 74,000 signatures, but has just eight days to reach the crucial 100,000 mark – which means it will be considered for debate in Parliament. The family has also launched a GoFundMe to help push the petition, and to support other families in similar situations.
The little girl was just two years old when she died from her injuries(Image: Gemma Chappell)
Maya’s mum Dana Carr had split up with the girl’s father, James Chappell, 26, before meeting Daymond in a pub and starting a whirlwind romance. Carr quickly moved into a home in Shotton Colliery, County Durham, with her new partner just weeks after they met.
Gemma told The Mirror that Maya had been living with her dad up until that point but Carr quickly removed the two-year-old from him and out of nursery. The aunt said they started to notice marks on Maya, but Carr would “explain away them sort of bruises” before she “texted James and said, you’re not getting my back and I want this much money a week”.
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you.
The aunt, a serving police officer, explained when they went to cops at Durham Constabulary with worries over Maya’s wellbeing, but “they didn’t act up on any concerns that James raised” due to a gap in the law.
Michael Daymond was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 20 years(Image: PA)
She said the force put in a Clare’s Law – which lets someone know if their partner has an abusive past – and a Sarah’s Law – which allows parents or guardians to ask if someone who has contact with a child has a record of child sexual abuse. Gemma claimed: “Essentially what they did was called up [Carr] and said is that person living with you, she said no.
“Asked what his date of birth was and what his new address was, and she said she didn’t know. They put the phone down, closed to the book, and nothing else was done. So they didn’t act up on any concerns that James raised. They didn’t actually physically go out and see Maya.”
Maya’s Law would involve sharing information to a parent or guardian where a child is at risk due to a parent or caregiver’s known history. Gemma explained why this new law would be crucial to help save other children, adding: “Maya’s law sits nicely in the middle of them too and focuses directly and gives people a clear, direct line into where they can go and get help.”
Mum Dana Carr had been with Michael for just nine weeks when he attacked the toddler(Image: PA)
Carr left her two-year-old in Daymond’s sole care on September 28, 2022, before Maya collapsed when he fiercely shook the toddler. The partner, who had been with Carr for just nine weeks, had learned his Universal Credit had been stopped before he attacked the little girl. She died in hospital two days later as a result of a “constellation” of injuries, having never regained consciousness, a court heard.
She said: “If Dana had got what that says in Clare’s Law, the disclosure would have been given to Dana, because Dana lied and said that Maya lived with her.” Gemma added: “Now, we know after the fact that she was closing her eyes to that abuse because she was so obsessed with this guy and that’s obviously what came out of court. Now, James should have had a right to have that information.”
The great aunt explained how this law could help protect vulnerable children from parents like Carr, saying: “They’re in the household, they’re turning a blind eye to it. They’re not protecting the child because for whatever reason, whether it’s because they’re scared to, whether they’re not sure that that’s happening or whatever. In our case, in my eyes, mum Dana was obsessed with this guy so she would have done anything and allowed him to do anything.”
Maya’s family is working to introduce a new law in her name(Image: Gemma Chappell)
Daymond was found guilty of murdering Maya and was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 20 years. Maya’s mum was convicted of child cruelty and jailed for nine years.
The great aunt has issued a plea to the public to sign the crucial petition as they work to change the law. She said: “If anybody’s got a concern about a child, look us up, have a look at it and drop us a message if they need it, but this campaign’s for them. So, sign the petition because children need a voice and that’s the big thing. These children that have gone need their voice heard and the children that are currently going through it which is the main thing because they’re the ones that are suffering.”
