A grieving mother has revealed that she has not been upstairs at her family for more than a year following the death of her 12-year-old daughter.
Semina Halliwell spent four nights in hospital before she died on June 12, 2021. She was a year seven student at Stanley High School in Southport at the time of her death.
Her mum Rachel claims Semina took her own life following an interview with police. The 12-year-old girl claimed she was raped by an older boy who she said had groomed her over Snapchat.
Speaking to the ECHO, Rachel opened up about her grief and how that has affected her everyday life since Semina's death.
She said: "It's been so hard to even think about a headstone, I just couldn't go there. It has been really difficult because, and I know this probably has nothing to do with the headstone, but I haven't been upstairs for over a year since Semina passed away.
"So when it came to the headstone it was just so difficult. I bought two plots at the cemetery. I had ideas and I started to think about what I wanted and then I would change and say 'no that wouldn't be right'.
"I wanted something that no one else had. I wanted more of a memorial as well for her, so to actually decide on something that I want I am relieved because I felt like it was a grave with just a cross there and I felt like it had been neglected, even though it wasn't, and she deserved only the best."
Rachel detailed her plans for the headstone with a photograph of Semina set to be engraved in the middle of the "beautiful memorial".
She added: "She's never going to get married, have a prom or have a 21st, so regards to money she deserves only the best.
"My father had a business in Southport, he was a stonemason, and he sold his business so I went to Marcus Memorials which used to be the Halliwell business and together we designed [the headstone]."
The heartbroken mum will have to wait more than two years for answers surrounding the death of her 12-year-old daughter.
A pre-inquest hearing into the Semina's death was held on Friday, February 3, but Rachel she is now waiting until another hearing in July.
She said this should determine a date for the formal inquest of her daughter. It is thought that it will be before the end of year - more than two years after the death of Semina.
She said: "You couldn't make it up. The miscarriage of justice that Semina has gone through no child or adult should have to go through that."
