What happens WHEN YOUR KID KILLS?

As the family of one of Brianna Ghey's killers express devastation over their daughter's actions, we ask whether killers' parents deserve our sympathy

It's a crime that has shocked the country. In February 2023, Brianna Ghey, a 16-year-old transgender student, was lured to a local park and killed by murder-obsessed schoolmate Scarlett Jenkinson, then 15, and her transphobic accomplice Eddie Ratcliffe, also 15. The killers, who have had their anonymity waived and both been jailed for life, killed Brianna with a hunting knife in broad daylight after months of meticulous planning.

Her mother Esther has bravely spoken out not only to express her despair at the loss of her child, but also to urge 'empathy and compassion' towards the parents of her daughter's killers. 'She's gone through something so unimaginable as well, and has also lost a child, Esther said of Scarlett Jenkinson's mother. Scarlett, despite growing up with 'devoted parents', became obsessed with serial killers and trawled the dark web for sadistic content, and it's clear how horrified her mother was at discovering the truth about her daughter.