County Durham family to officially launch 'Maya's Law' campaign
A big event is taking place in Consett tomorrow
The family of a murdered County Durham toddler are coming together to remember her this weekend nearly three years on since she died.
Two year-old Maya Chappell was killed by her mum's partner at the time who shook her to death.
Tomorrow, her family is officially launching its campaign for 'Maya's Law' which calls for new legal protections to make sure children at risk are better safeguarded.
It is being spearheaded by Maya's great-aunt Gemma Chappell and she said: "The grief doesn't go away. It doesn't get easier. It just comes in different waves. It's been dark but as far as grief goes, when someone loses a child it's absolutely devastating but when someone loses a child in such a horrific situation, that's unimaginable in people's nightmares.
"We all support each other as a family. We have great friends and family around us, the community have been great, so we've got a lot of support around us but it's not nice. We're OK as a family, we're getting through it and we're trying to change things into a positive.
"Some people think why now? Why didn't we do it at the start but I think people have got to realise that we were grieving and we didn't get any answers at the time. We all know that the man that did this didn't take the stand. We lost our baby of the family, that's what she was.
"We want to turn things into a positive and it's very hard to do that in this situation being given such a horrific job that it was to our family, but it's coming up to the anniversary and we can look at it as a positive and say 'this is what we're doing for Maya for her voice to be shouted aloud.'
"She will still be recognised and all of these other children that have also gone through the same as what Maya's gone through and ended their lives will also have a voice and also, the children that are still going through it today.
"This is a positive thing we're doing. We can sit and mope around for that anniversary, we can sit and get upset, which we will, the family will, the friends will, and people that went through it and remember her on that day and that's OK, but we can get the community together as well through that bad time. We can support each other and we can get through this."
Launch Day of 'Maya's Law'
A big event to mark the launch is taking place in Consett tomorrow at Shotley Bridge Cricket Club, with family, friends and the community invited.
It takes place from 2pm to 6pm and there will be a live auction of a signed Sunderland FC shirt.
There will be stalls, pizza truck, ice cream van, surprise bags, raffle, arts, face painting, animals, rugby and more.