My son was groomed by drug dealers and killed, but my pleas for help were ignored
The mother of 15-year-old Daejaun Campbell, who was stabbed to death in south London, has accused social services of ignoring her pleas for help. Jodian Taylor claims that Greenwich Council failed to protect her son from drug dealers who had groomed and exploited him, despite her repeated warnings.
Daejaun was murdered on 22 September 2024 in Woolwich. He was attacked with a machete and died at the scene, with his final words being: "I’m 15, don't let me die." His death came just months before his friend, 14-year-old Kelyan Bokassa, was also fatally stabbed in a similar attack nearby.
⚠️ Allegations of Systemic Failure
A BBC Panorama investigation revealed serious lapses in the support provided to Daejaun and his family:
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Missed Meetings: A social worker was eventually assigned to Daejaun’s case but failed to attend two critical meetings in the weeks leading up to his death.
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Ignored Pleas: Ms Taylor had emailed social services to say she had "completely lost control" of her son and begged for him to be re-homed outside the area to keep him safe. The council reportedly did not respond until a week later.
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A Day Too Late: The council emailed Ms Taylor to reschedule a safeguarding meeting on 23 September 2024—the day after Daejaun had already been killed.
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Information Gaps: Daejaun’s school, Woolwich Polytechnic, provided counselling but did not inform his mother about classmates being excluded for drug and weapon links, citing student anonymity rules.
⚖️ Convictions and Sentencing
In October 2025, two teenagers were sentenced for the attack:
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Imri Doue (18): Found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 21 years.
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Marko Balaz (19): Convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 11 years in custody.
The judge noted that both defendants had also been victims of grooming and exploitation themselves, describing the cycle of gang violence as "deeply sad."
🏛️ The Response
Greenwich Council stated they are "appalled" by the violence but are unable to comment on the specific details of Daejaun’s case until two ongoing safeguarding reviews are published in March 2026.
Meanwhile, the government is considering the Crime and Policing Bill, which would make "child criminal exploitation" a specific criminal offence to help prosecute the older gang leaders who groom children like Daejaun.
