The mother of a young girl being jumped by bullies has spoken of her heartache at her daughter's treatment that has tormented the 13-year-old for months. A video was circulated this week of the girl being attacked in the Kirkby area of Liverpool this week.
Police in Merseyside are investigating the alleged assault on the girl on Wednesday night, but the parents of the child affected are looking for action be taken against the bullies with her mother saying she has suffered alongside her daughter through the ordeal, reports the Liverpool Echo.
The parents received the news that their child had allegedly been attacked by a 14-year-old girl while two other girls said to be 14 and 17 filmed it on phones and 'encouraged' the bullying.
Her mum, who did not wish for her or her daughter to be named, told the Liverpool Echo: "My heart sank into my stomach. My shoulders went limp, my throat went tight. I've suffered with this with my daughter, and it's worn me down.
"I phoned her, I said I will keep phoning you every hour to make sure you are ok. You have got your [tracking] app on your phone.
"She says 'I'm ok, I'm in Northwood, I'll keep phoning you mum'. So she seemed happy. The next thing, it got to 8.24pm, and my phone rang and it come up with her friend's name. And I thought maybe her phone died, because she sometimes rang off another friend's phone.
"But the friend says; 'she needs you, her phone's died, she needs you now she has been jumped by [the attacker] and a few others."
Her mother rushed to the area to find her daughter with the help of friends and parents, bringing her home. She added: "There was scrapes, there was cuts, there was grazes, there was twigs, thorns in her legs, because it was big thorny bushes she had shoved her in.
"She has got a big black bruise on her left rib, because [the attacker] stuck her foot on her rib and pulled her head.
"I have notified the doctors and have been told to take her to Alder Hey hospital to get an x-ray for the rib. She has a black mark on right cheek bone, patches on the back of her hair, she was in a daze. She's not eating, she's laying about."
The video shared widely online shows the attacker head for the girl and begin to punch her repeatedly as, while being filmed, an accomplice can be heard saying: "Punch her head in now, punch her head in now. Go on, dig her, kick her in the face, punch her in the face not the back of her head."
Speaking of the video being shared online, the victim's mum emotionally said: "It feels embarrassing, and my daughter feels embarrassed. But she is actually gone a little bit like, I want people to know what she's doing.
"Do you know as a mother and a parent, not being there to protect your child from people who think they can harm my daughter, and mark her body. I had to watch that video, of a 17 year-old-girl videoing it. It broke me.
"I think they're just as bad. They shouldn't video it. They should ring the police, or ring a parent to say there's someone fighting come and stop it. People need to come together and have a word with their kids, and be normal people. No hate."
The mother told the ECHO her daughter and her bully had once been friends but the relationship had soured and that the latest attack comes after six months of bullying, she claims. The mother reached out to the bully's mother but nothing has changed.
"It carried on, just kept carrying on, and carrying on. The mum didn't listen, it still went on all this bullying," she added. "The school ended up giving [my daughter] a safe space to go at break times. She went to the art room because she likes art, she's a really good drawer."
Things outside school became more serious around Easter time. The mum told the ECHO: "She took her phone off her, in the McDonald's, and then [the attacker] called me and said [my daughter's] phone's here. When [my daughter] got home she said 'no, it was her who took my phone'. She fought with my daughter to get the phone off her, in the toilets."
Previous incidents had been reported to Merseyside Police and the school but now the family are so distraught they are considering moving school and out of the area.
Her mum said: "I want to get out of this area. I want to get my daughter fit and healthy, not being sad. I want her to feel happy, safe, with a group of girls and boys who want to be her friend and be nice. I'm going to get her in a different school and I am moving from this area because it's just disgusting."
A statement from Merseyside Police said: "We were contacted on Wednesday, May 3, following reports a 13-year-old girl had been assaulted in Old Rough Park in Kirkby by a group of girls at around 8pm.
"Enquiries into the incident are ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to DM @MerPolCC or contact @CrimestoppersUK on 0800 555 111 quoting log 1147 of 3rd May."
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