I AM writing with regards to the comments in recent issues of News Shopper, about people leaving flowers at fatal accident scenes. I am the mother of Gemma Rolfe, who was killed on Slade Green Road.
Have any of these people had someone walk out of the door, say "see you later, mum" and not come back?
My daughter died in a hit-and-run accident and not only have myself and Gemma's family got to deal with the fact she has gone but also the fact nobody is responsible for their actions.
I will always lay flowers on May 19 at the scene where my daughter was killed.
My daughter did not die in a hospital bed where I could be with her, so if by laying flowers where she died gives her family some small comfort, we will carry on doing so.
We do not lay flowers on her birthday or at Christmas, we go to her garden, as we do every Saturday but on May 19 that is where I and her family and friends need to go.
I have since found out the council no longer remove dead flowers from scenes and, when this was realised, a very good friend went and cleared them away.
Please try, which may be impossible, to understand what families go through when their lives are ripped apart and please do not judge people for wanting to be at the place their loved ones died.
Instead of complaining about people trying to deal with their grief in the only way they can, why not put that energy into campaigning for stiffer sentencing for the people who cause the accidents in the first place?
Miss Janet-Ann Ford
Wharfside Close
Erith
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