Kayden Moy, 16, from East Kilbride, died in hospital after being stabbed at Irvine Beach and now the mother of a schoolgirl beaten up by a gang is demanding more action against youth violence
A mum of schoolgirl beaten up by a gang says it was “only a matter of time” after a 16-year-old boy was stabbed to death at a beach.
Sharon Bavaird, 49, slammed what she sees as the Scottish Government’s failure to tackle the issue of youth violence in Scotland following the death of Kayden Moy, from East Kilbride, who was attacked at Irvine Beach, in Ayrshire, on Saturday night. He was rushed to Crosshouse Hospital for treatment but sadly died the following morning.
And she says “nothing has been done” since her daughter, Tanith, was brutally attacked by a group of youngsters in the town last year. Tanith, who was 15 at the time, was set upon by 12 boys and girls who set her hair on fire and pulled her to the ground before repeatedly knocking her face on a concrete kerb.
They then went on to kick, punch and stamp on the defenceless teen’s head. Sharon set up a local campaign group in the wake of her daughter’s attack to bring victims of youth violence in the area together.
She told the Record: “Hearing about Kayden’s death has devastated me. My heart breaks for his family. I set up a group for teens affected by violence in East Kilbride because I knew it was happening so often in the area. I thought it would prevent similar attacks from taking place and at the time, my local MSP mentioned our cause in parliament, but clearly nothing has been done.
“It was only a matter of time before a child from this area died. The issue is rife in East Kilbride and nobody seems to care or be doing anything about it and I know my area isn’t isolated in that sense. We have heard the Scottish Government say it invests in tackling youth violence, but the money they are putting in clearly isn’t enough.
“The government must step up here and now to do something to prevent these deaths. There clearly needs to be investment on prevention because we are seeing a repeat of the past. How many more young people have got to die before the government takes notice and implements effective change? The go-soft policy doesn’t work, either.
“Our powers must start holding young offenders to account. If they don’t, we’ll only continue to see more deaths like Kayden’s. As a mum, my greatest fear every day when my daughter leaves the house is wondering if something will happen to her. It crosses my mind every day that I could be the next mum facing a tragedy like this.” A 17-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with Kayden’s death.
Kayden is now the third child to lose his life as a result of youth violence in Scotland over the last year following on from Kory McCrimmon, 16, and Amen Teklay, 15. Kory, from Glasgow, was stabbed through the heart in the city’s Greenfield Park in May last year.
MSP for East Kilbride Collette Stevenson said: “My thoughts go to the family of Kayden. It is only right the police gather evidence and that due process is now followed. Family and friends will need time to process this tragic event and grieve.
“Last year, some cases of teenage violence were brought to my attention. I reached out to affected families and met with them in my office. I raised the matter in the Scottish Parliament and then wrote to the Scottish Government. When I receive cases of bullying, I bring them to the attention of Education Resources, or the police.
“Over the past year I have liaised with local schools and connected them with the work of Medics Against Violence, who alongside No Knives, Better Lives received funding from the Scottish Government as part of the Violence Prevention Framework for Scotland, published in May 2023. Both organisations operate in East Kilbride, with an aim of preventing youth violence in the first place.
“I would encourage people to be mindful that a young man has lost his life. If anyone has any information on this incident, they should contact the police” A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Kayden Moy at this heartbreaking time. It would be inappropriate to comment on a live investigation.
“In general terms, and acknowledging it is of no comfort to any family who has been affected, knife crime has fallen, with a 69% decrease in emergency hospital admissions due to assault with a sharp object between 2008-09 and 2023-24.
“We have invested more than £6 million since 2023 in the Violence Prevention Framework for Scotland to help divert people away from violence. This includes the work of YouthLink Scotland who deliver No Knives Better Lives and Medics Against Violence to help educate young people on the dangers of carrying knives.”