Dad of girl, 13, charged with Ammanford school stabbings scared of ‘reprisals’
The dad of a 13-year-old girl charged with stabbing two teachers and a pupil at a school in South Wales has revealed he learned about the attacks on social media.
The teenager was charged with three counts of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article following Wednesday’s attack.
Fiona Elias and Liz Hopkins were stabbed along with a pupil shortly after morning breaktime at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire on Wednesday.
But the teenager’s dad, who cannot be named, has revealed it took him hours to find out his daughter was allegedly involved, claiming neither the school nor the police wanted to speak to him.
It was only after following the incident on social media did he find people mentioning his daughter’s name.
He told the Times: ‘I found out she was involved through social media, because people were naming her online. It’s disgusting.
‘I have found out more about what has happened through the news than I did from anyone else. The school didn’t want to talk.’
He added he was worried about ‘reprisals from the community’ as was yet to be given a police liaison officer.
All three victims have been discharged from hospital.
Fiona Elias, Assistant Headteacher, said: ‘From the bottom of my heart, my family and I would like to say a huge thank you for all the messages we have received from far and wide over the past few days.
‘Three of us were taken to hospital with injuries, but this incident has had an enormous impact on my colleagues and the wonderful pupils we have at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman.
‘I cannot comprehend what staff and pupils experienced on Wednesday. One of our school’s core values is ‘resilience’, and there is no doubt that pupils have demonstrated this value in coping with a situation they should never have experienced.’
Liz Hopkins, Additional Learning Needs Coordinator, said: ‘I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for the support shown to me and my family since the incident on Wednesday.
‘I am deeply indebted to all the emergency services for their quick response and for the care provided to me and others who were admitted to hospital.
‘Ysgol Dyffryn Aman is a big part of my life, and it is hard to comprehend that this has happened. However, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our school community for all the support and kind messages that I have received. I have been overwhelmed by the kindness from the close community that we have here.
‘I believe what we need now is time to reflect on what has happened and therefore ask for privacy for the school, myself and my family, so we can take this time to reflect and recover.’
A teacher who restrained a teenage girl alleged to have stabbed a pupil and two other teachers in South Wales is still ‘shaken’.
Darrel Campbell has been hailed a ‘hero’ for jumping in to help his colleagues at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman in Ammanford.
His brother Cefin, who is the Senedd member for Mid and West Wales, said he has every intention of goin back to the classroom despite how the attack has affected him.
He said: ‘The school is closed today so he’s off but he has every intention of going back whenever the school reopens.
‘He wants to be there, with the other staff members, to support each other and to support the pupils that are under their care.
‘He’s taken that role very seriously throughout his life and he will go back to make sure that the pupils are in a good place.’
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