HOME / NEWS / HUMAN INTEREST

‘You’ve done wrong’: Olivia Pratt-Korbel's mom Cheryl tells killer to ‘own up’ in heartbreaking video

Olivia’s father also paid tribute and said, 'Those responsible need to know what they have done'

DOVECOT, LIVERPOOL: The mother of Olivia Pratt-Korbel, who was shot dead at her home on August 22, told the nine-year-old’s killer to “own up” in her first public remarks since the shoot. Cheryl Korbel, 46, who broke down in tears while paying tribute to her "little shadow," said, “You know you’ve done wrong, so you need to own up.”

In a video filmed and released by Merseyside Police, the mother, who can be seen wearing a cast on her wrist after being injured in the shooting, said, "Like I taught my kids, you do something wrong, you own up to it. If anyone is hiding these guns, they need to speak up, because they need to be off the streets. No one, no one at all, should have to go through this.” Describing Olivia, she said, "She was amazing, she loved life. She was my little shadow. She went everywhere with me. Everyone she met, they all fell in love with her. She left a mark on everyone she met. She may well have only been nine but she packed a lot in to those nine years. She never, never stopped talking - and that's what I miss the most because I can't hear her talk."

RELATED ARTICLES

The tragic murder of little Olivia Pratt-Korbel: 3 men arrested over killing of 9-year-old in her own home

HE WHOSE NAME SHALL NOT BE SPOKEN: Terrified neighbors refuse to name little Olivia Pratt-Korbel's killer

The mother said that Olivia was looking forward to going back to school in September. "We were talking about going to get a new uniform for school, but I didn't get that chance to go and get a school uniform," she said in a quivering voice. Adressing the killer, she added, "I will keep going, for Liv."

Olivia’s father John Francis Pratt also paid tribute with a video of Olivia and him enjoying at a Christmas Market, to his daughter and called for anyone with information about her death to come forward. He said, "Words can’t express the pain we are going through after Olivia was so cruelly snatched away from us. Those responsible need to know what they have done. Olivia was a real bright spark who knew her own mind, had no problem making friends (she would talk to anyone) and loved to laugh and make people laugh." He added, "We don’t want another child to lose their life in such horrendous circumstances and we don’t want to see another family suffer like we are suffering now. Olivia’s death cannot be in vain and we want people to feel safe and be safe, that can only happen if we all come together and make sure there is no place for guns, or those who use guns on our streets or in our communities. If you have information make sure you tell the police and if you don’t feel able to do that give the information to Crimestoppers anonymously so action can be taken. If you can’t do it for yourself, do it in Olivia’s name and for children across Merseyside who deserve to enjoy their lives to the full.”