Maya’s Law – Maya Chappell and Star Hobson families meet

On Sunday (January 25), the family of County Durham toddler Maya Chappell, who was just two-years old when she died in September 2022, met the family of West Yorkshire tot, Star Hobson, who died at 16 months old in September 2020.

Defenceless Maya, two, died at Newcastle RVI in September 2022, days after her mum’s new partner, Michael Daymond, violently shook her at their home in Shotton Colliery.

Maya Chappell (Image: FAMILY)

He was later jailed for life, while Maya’s mother, Dana Carr, was sentenced to nine years in prison for allowing the death of the tot.

Meanwhile, Star suffered a brutal blow likened to the impact of a car crash by her mother’s partner, Savannah Brockhill, at her home in Keighley in 2020.

Brockhill was sentenced to life in jail, with a minimum term of 25 years, after being convicted of murder.

Star Hobson (Image: FAMILY)

Star’s mother, Frankie Smith, was found guilty of causing or allowing her daughter’s death. Her original eight-year sentence was later increased to 12 years by the Court of Appeal.

During the meeting between the two families on Sunday, Maya’s great aunts, Gemma Chappell and Rachael Walls, travelled to West Yorkshire to see Star’s great grandparents, David Fawcett and Anita Smith.

Gemma and Rachael raised the Maya’s Law campaign, which calls for the creation of a Child Risk Disclosure Scheme (CRDS) to allow families to access information about caregivers or partners with violent or abusive pasts.

Star Hobson’s great grandparents, David Fawcett and Anita Smith (left) and Maya’s great aunts, Rachael Walls and Gemma Chappell (right) (Image: FAMILY)

The campaign has so far seen a petition launched, which has over 100,000 signatures, alongside the family securing a Westminster Hall debate, national coverage and backing from MPs, councillors and influential figures.

The Maya’s Law petition can be found here, and the fundraising page can be found here.

Describing the meeting between the families as “an emotional rollercoaster”, Gemma believes that linking up with other bereaved families across the UK is the key to changing both public opinion and getting Maya’s Law passed into UK law.

Star Hobson’s great grandparents, David Fawcett and Anita Smith (Image: FAMILY)

“We were grateful to meet up with David and Anita. It was nice to hear some stories about Star and what sort of girl she was,” Gemma added.

“While we have so many stories of Maya, it shows why we’re battling for these changes – these children that didn’t have voices yet; we need to be their voices.

“I’ve spent so long researching all of these tragic and devastating cases of children dying in the UK, so when you meet their families, it feels like they’re part of your family too.”

Maya’s great aunts, Rachael Walls and Gemma Chappell (Image: FAMILY)

Gemma says that David and Anita are on board with Maya’s Law and have said that she’s trying to meet with as many other bereaved families as possible, which she hopes will lead to a trip down to Parliament in the future to show the “strength of support” for Maya’s Law.

Under the new Child Risk Disclosure Scheme (CRDS), which Gemma wants to bring in, agencies such as police, councils, health services and social care would have a legal duty to share information when concerns arise, ensuring families are not left in the dark about potential dangers.

It would also take inspiration from Clare’s Law and Sarah’s Law.

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Maya’s Law proposes four key changes:

• A Child Risk Disclosure Scheme (CRDS): letting families request risk history information about caregivers.
• Mandatory information sharing between police, health, and social care agencies.
• Stronger multi-agency protocols, especially in custody and unsupervised access cases.
• New safeguarding powers for professionals to raise alerts or trigger court action, even without an active investigation.