Family of County Durham's Maya Chappell: 'Another tough Christmas without her'
The two year-old died in 2022 at the hands of her mum's partner
The family of a County Durham toddler who was shaken to death says it's going to be another tough Christmas without her.
Two year-old Maya Chappell died in 2022 at the hands of her mum's partner.
Her great aunt, Gemma, said: "It's been difficult because the two Christmases that she had, she spent with us as the family. She absolutely loved her food, we've got photographs from both Christmases of her scranning all of her food and she absolutely adored being around the other children and getting her presents.
"It's been difficult and it's always a reminder that she's not there. I think everyday is difficult anyway without her however when it comes to events such as birthdays and Christmases, it's a bit more of a reminder and as she spent the two Christmases with us, yeah it's a little bit sad and a little down.
"We try and also remember the good times we had with her. The kids and the family go down to her grave and give her little presents every year, we say 'happy Christmas' to her, and then obviously we have dinner and we always sit and think about her on that day, so it's both sad and sweet at the same time when we think about the good times with her.
"She absolutely loved food and she was so independent as well that she wouldn't let anybody feed her and the first year when she was in her high chair, she was screaming at everybody to give the plate and then when we tried to feed her, she was not having any of it and she took the plate off everybody.
"The second year, she had this beautiful dress on and we ended up having to take it off her because again, she wanted to feed herself but she wanted to sit with the other children at the table and not in her high chair, so we've got this photograph of her sitting her little self at the table, she couldn't really see over the table either."
Gemma's petition calling for 'Maya's Law' for better safeguarding for at-risk children has hit more than 15,000 signatures.
The Government is due to issue a response.