Murdered boy's mother dies of heart attack

London: The mother of murdered ten-year-old Damilola Taylor has died of a suspected heart attack.

Gloria Taylor, 57, was found collapsed in the street by her husband Richard last night as he walked near their home in south east London.

Scotland Yard said Taylor was taken to hospital by ambulance after she was discovered in Shooters Hill but was pronounced dead a short while later.

Police sources added her husband was on his way to their nearby home when he came across her lying in the street. He is believed to have alerted the emergency services. Taylor was taken to hospital where doctors tried to save her but she was pronounced dead.

The spokesman added: "A post-mortem examination will take place in due course. The incident is being investigated by local borough officers and is currently being treated as non suspicious."

Taylor's son Damilola died after being stabbed in the leg with a broken beer bottle on 27 November 2000 as he walked home from a library in Peckham.

The Nigerian-born child had been in Britain for only a few months when he was attacked. He bled to death in a stairwell on the run-down North Peckham estate.

In 2006, teenage street robbers Danny and Ricky Preddie were convicted of his manslaughter and jailed for eight years at the Old Bailey. The conviction came after two trials and two police investigations, parts of which were strongly criticised. After her son's death, Taylor dedicated her life to working for underprivileged young people.

Trust launched

The Damilola Taylor Trust was launched in November 2001 to mark the first anniversary of the boy's death. Taylor said the Trust aimed to provide hope and opportunities for Britain's "downtrodden and underprivileged youth".

She said: "Damilola lost his life because of enormous problems in this society. Our son wanted to be a doctor. He was a leader and we are sure he would have been extraordinary. We would like the Trust to heal many of the ills faced by today's youth."

The Taylors have been praised for the dignity with which they dealt with their son's death. They attended almost every day of the trials surrounding their son's death and sat quietly at the back of the court in 2006 when the Preddies were convicted of manslaughter.

- Evening Standard