Ava White went to the back of Primark because her mum used to work there, Leeann White has revealed.
Leeann had worked at the Liverpool city centre store for all of Ava's life but said that she now struggles to leave the house. Ava was just 12 years old when she was stabbed and killed by a 14-year-old boy.
She had been out enjoying the Christmas lights switch-on with her friends but was attacked over a row about a Snapchat video. Ava's mum said she believes Ava headed to the city centre store because that's where she worked.
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Speaking to ITV, she said: "Ava went to the back of there because I worked there and she used to come and meet me there. Although it's like a little alleyway , it's where she used to meet me after work."
Leeann added: "I struggle going out. I don’t really go out anymore. I don’t really like being around people. I don’t like anyone really coming to my house so I’m always on my own or with Mia.
"I can’t cook Scouse because that was one of her favourites. Even going shopping, it’s just hard."
When she found out about the attack, Leeann said she had not long got home from work. She added: "My sister phoned me and told me Ava had been stabbed.
"I can just remember running and putting my coat on and phoning a taxi to get to town because she was still in town." Ava's older sister Mia added: "I still don't think it's actually happened. I was screaming 'are you sure it's Ava? Are you sure it's her?'"
Ava was stabbed on School Lane, a narrow road at the back of Primark, by a 14-year-old whose identity is protected because of his age. A court heard that after leaving Ava bleeding out, he laughed, ditched the knife and went to the shop to buy crumpets.
Leeann said: "How he acted so normal, it's unbelievable. He went to a shop, stood in front of a camera and combed his hair trying to make himself an alibi. This is a 14-year-old kid we’re talking about and it’s scary."
Mia said: "I remember asking if they were sure it was him. I remember actually saying 'are you sure you’ve got the right person?' because I couldn’t comprehend that a child could do that."
In July last year, he convicted of Ava's murder and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 13 years. It means he could still be in his 20s when he's released.
Ava's family have now set up a foundation in her name, to tackle what they described as a "knife pandemic." Leeann said: "It's shocking how these crimes are happening on a daily basis. We want [to use the foundation] to hopefully reduce knife crime and violent crimes.
"We want to go round and teach the kids, educate them that this is not OK. This is not a world that we should be living in. We shouldn't be doing this to each other."
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