The grieving mother of a murdered 11-year-old boy has welcomed new legislation that allows her to “tell the world” about her talented son.
The amendment to the Children’s Act came into force today (Fri) allowing the identities of children who have died as a result of murder or manslaughter to be publicly named.
Brooklyn Colbert was brutally murdered on the 3rd of November, 2019 by his uncle who hit him twice with a claw hammer and stabbed him 27 times.
The boy’s body was found by gardaí in a relative’s home on a cul de sac, located off Shanabooley Road, Ballynanty in Co. Limerick.
Sonia told the Irish Mirror that the new legislation enables grieving families of murdered children to share their stories and added that it has brought huge relief and has “given her a voice”.
She said: “It gives us a chance to speak freely about Brooklyn and tell the world about what kind of little boy he was.
“There’s so many families who have been affected by this law and so many parents who have been silenced by this law and so it’s a huge relief that our voices can now be heard.
“Brooklyn was such a lovely child and I just want the world to know about him.”
Sonya Aylmer had campaigned for an amendment to The Children’s Act that prevented her son’s name from being published because his case was being heard in court.
Speaking after her brother’s sentencing in February of this year, Sonya called on the Minister for Justice Helen McEntee to amend the act Children’s Act so she could speak freely about her son.
She said: “I deserve to be able to leave this court today and to tell the world the wonderful, kind, caring, loving, talented little boy my son is – his name and his legacy deserve to be out there for all the world to see and hear.”
Sonya said that while she will never get over the trauma of losing her son, speaking about him and involving him in her life helps her to move forward and stay strong.
She said: “Speaking about Brooklyn really helps me a lot and I do feel that Brooklyn is with me and that he is guiding me.
“Not being able to speak about him has been so hard and so traumatic and now that we are able to speak freely about him I feel calmer.
“I love to involve Brooklyn in everything that I am doing, it keeps me going and it gives me a little bit of a drive.”
Brooklyn’s parents took part in the Great Limerick Run last week in his memory to raise money for Temple Street Hospital where Brooklyn was treated as a child for a cleft palate.
Sonya said: “It was really emotional but the spirits were high. We passed a lot of places that meant something to us.
“We passed King John’s Castle where I worked, we passed Brooklyn’s school and the church he made his communion in and we passed the house where he was born.
“We felt he was with us every step of the way.”
