Mary Bokassa shares her heartbreaking story of her son Kelyan’s tragic fate
Woolwich: Kelyan Bokassa was just six when gang members started targeting him. His mum, Mary, fought hard to keep him safe, but it was a tough battle.
She would search for him late at night, finding him on park benches, begging him to come home. But Kelyan was scared. He feared for his life if he left his gang.
Tragically, Kelyan was only 14 when he was murdered on a bus in broad daylight. It was a shocking moment for everyone who knew him.
Mary recalls how she always worried this day would come. She remembers the last time she saw him, hugging him before he left for a meeting with his social worker.
He had been through so much. After being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at six, their lives took a turn for the worse. An arson attack on their home led to Kelyan being taken into care.
Mary fought to get him back, but it was a struggle. He was unhappy in care and often ran away, eventually finding a new family on the streets.
She remembers the pain of seeing him return home, sick and tattooed, a shadow of the boy she once knew. He had been pulled into a world of gangs, and it broke her heart.
His killer remains at large, and it’s believed Kelyan was caught in a violent turf war between rival gangs. The day he died was supposed to be a fresh start for him, returning to school after a stint in a youth referral center.
Mary reflects on the good times, the polite boy who loved to cook and had dreams. She wishes things could have been different, that he could have had a chance to escape the cycle of violence.
As the community mourns, Mary hopes for change. She wants to see more support for kids like Kelyan, so they don’t end up in the same tragic situation.
