Olivia Pratt-Korbel's mum paid an emotional tribute to her 'bubbly' 9-year-old daughter as mourners gathered for her funeral this morning. Olivia was shot at her home in Dovecot, Liverpool, on August 22.
Family and friends wore a 'splash of pink' at the family's request as they gathered to remember the schoolgirl at St Margaret Mary’s Church in Knotty Ash on Thursday, September 15. Tearful mourners, some with pink ribbons pinned to their outfits, lined the street as the little girl's white coffin, decorated with butterflies on the side, arrived in a horse-drawn carriage.
The coffin was topped with lilies and teddy bears were placed alongside it in the white carriage. A hearse with floral tributes saying “daughter” and “Liv” arrived at the church shortly before the carriage.
READ MORE: Charity offering £50k reward in hunt for killer of Olivia Pratt-Korbel
Olivia’s mother Cheryl Korbel, 46, carried a pink teddy as she arrived at the church. She delivered an emotional eulogy to the congregation, telling them that Olivia "had her own mind" even as a tiny newborn baby who was born six weeks early and spent days in a special baby unit.
She said Olivia was independent and even as a toddler would choose her own clothes. “Although she loved sparkle and glitz she would never go overboard and she was very particular, even down to her socks," she said. “Olivia was very chatty and bubbly and would talk for England, to the point we thought she had Duracell batteries inside her somewhere.”
Mrs Korbel also talked about Olivia's love for singing and dancing. "She’d always be singing along to songs she enjoyed, especially when we would be driving in the car and she would always be in charge of the CD player," she said.
Olivia had a great imagination, she said, and knew "exactly how to wrap people around her little finger to get what she wanted", especially her brother Ryan and sister Chloe. “She would often give them a cheeky smile and they would give in instantly," Mrs Korbel told mourners. She added: “She would have made a great lawyer as she had an answer for everything.”
Mrs Korbel concluded her emotional eulogy by saying 'goodnight' to her daughter. She said: “Liv touched so many people’s hearts and was loved and adored by everyone. She will never be forgotten. I will never say goodbye but what I will say is goodnight, love you, see you in the morning.”
Amazing Grace was sung as Olivia’s coffin was carried out of the church. Her family hugged and wiped away tears as the coffin was placed back into the carriage and taken away from the church for a private burial.
Pupils at St Margaret Mary’s Junior School, next to the church, paid their own tribute to their classmate, headteacher Rebecca Wilkinson said. Pupils were asked to wear pink to remember Olivia and the school put up pink hearts in the windows and pink ribbons on the fence.
Mrs Wilkinson said that the 480 pupils at the school would also be creating a flower each which will form part of a memorial for Olivia, and school uniform rules were being relaxed to allow nail varnish in tribute to her. “One of the amazing memories that the class teacher and children shared was one day Olivia came to school wearing pink nail varnish and she spent the whole day hiding her hands so that I wouldn’t see the fact she was wearing pink nail varnish! So for that reason, as well as a splash of pink, we have said that the children can wear pink nail varnish today if they so wish.”
Police are continuing to hunt for the gunman who chased convicted burglar Joseph Nee into Olivia’s family home at about 10pm on August 22. Olivia died from a gunshot wound to her chest. Her mother was also injured.
On Wednesday, founder of charity Crimestoppers Lord Ashcroft offered a £50,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of those responsible for her death.
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