Rhys Jones’s family pleads: Killer, search your soul

Dec 15 2007 by Caroline Innes, Liverpool Daily Post

THE family of Rhys Jones have spoken of their dread of waking up on Christmas Day morning knowing their youngest son will not be there.

Four months after Rhys, 11, was shot dead as he walked home from football practice, his parents Melanie and Stephen said they have no idea how they are going to face Christmas without him.

In an emotional statement, the family from Croxteth Park said while they were wondering how they would get through this emotional time of year, they hoped the poignancy of Christmas would force the person who shot their son dead – still uncaught – to search his soul.

They said: “We wonder what the person who fired the shot that killed Rhys will be doing this Christmas.

“And those close to him, who know what he has done – how will they be celebrating?

“Are they getting ready? How can they carry on getting ready to celebrate and not think about Rhys?”

Rhys died after he was shot near to the car park of the Fir Tree public house on Wednesday, August 22.

It is believed he was an innocent victim caught up in rival gang feuds.

Mr and Mrs Jones and their elder son, Owen, are still trying to come to terms with their loss.

They said: “Like most families once you have your first child, Christmas takes on a new meaning. The run-up to Christmas Day is frantic, getting all the presents in, wrapping them up and watching your childrens’ faces light up when they open their presents.

“Since our eldest son, Owen, was born we, like most families have developed our own little routines over the years. We’d buy the kids new pyjamas to be worn on Christmas Eve.

“The boys, Owen and Rhys, would go to bed early and we would spend Christmas Eve wrapping their presents and looking forward to the following morning.

“Rhys loved Christmas and the build-up to it and on Christmas Day he’d take an hour out to go and deliver presents to his friends, then it was back home waiting for the rest of the family, uncles, aunties and cousins, to arrive for a full-blown Christmas dinner.

“Rhys was a real livewire and life and soul of the Christmas party, he loved the atmosphere and revelled in the excitement of the whole family being together. Just contemplating Christmas this year is difficult.

“It’s certainly going to be a quiet Christmas and we just don’t know how we’re going to face waking up on Christmas morning knowing that Rhys isn’t going to be there to rip off the wrapping paper from his presents, posing for the video as we proudly record the events throughout the day.

“Our lives have always revolved around our children and we know we need to be there for Owen.

“Life can’t stop.

“But the loss of Rhys has left a huge, empty void, that can never be filled.”

The family then made a direct appeal to the family of Rhys’s killer. So far, 20 have been arrested in connection with the youngster’s murder, but no-one has yet been charged by police.

carolineinnes