The mum of a teenager who got involved in county lines gangs and then sold a fatal dose of MDMA wants to warn parents what signs to look out for.
Tammy Kirkwood’s son was jailed in 2020 after 15-year-old Leah Hayes bought the Class-A drug from him and then collapsed and died in May 2019.
The mum, from North Yorkshire, believes her son got involved in dealing drugs because he was groomed by county lines criminals.
Looking back, Tammy can see the red flags she missed. Now, she is speaking out so other families can prevent the tragedy from repeating itself.
She said: ‘Everybody thinks groomers have a particular child they go for and it’s not. My child was into sports, it could be a child with straight As.
‘Children are vulnerable and that the cost of living crisis is going to make people fight for money.
‘Kids are going to see mum and dad not being able to pay the bills which in turn makes the kids more vulnerable.’
Tammy said to look out for a ‘well-behaved child becoming withdrawn’ and turning ‘quiet and reserved’.
Other warning signs include kids suddenly starting to leave the house at different times and just stepping out of their normal routines in general.
The mum added: ‘Their grades start to get affected, they might start acting out more in school or not coming home straight after school.’
She also stressed that she thinks children with ADHD or high-functioning autism are specifically targeted by groomers.
Tammy told parents their alarm bells should be ringing if they start noticing older kids or young adults hang around their much younger children.
She said: ‘If you have a 10-year-old, you have to ask yourself why there is a 15-year-old hanging around with them, or why is there a 20-year-old with a 15-year-old. It’s kids introducing kids, the older ones tell them to find kids and bring them in.
‘You start seeing older people with cars around. If you start noticing different cars in the neighbourhood, that’s a massive thing – they’re probably there for another child or your own child.’
The mum explained how her son showed signs something was wrong with his appearance changing and becoming fearful.
‘I noticed that the doors are always locked if he was in the house,’ she said.
Lastly, Tammy suggested parents stay ‘wary of other parents’ – to make sure you know where your kids are staying.
She said: ‘It makes me angry because my son’s story isn’t unique and it’s going to get worse.
‘This has been going on in the UK for 15-20 years and the Government still doesn’t have a handle on child exploitation.’
Tammy’s son was 17 when he was jailed for 21 months at Middlesbrough Crown Court.
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