The family of a British grandmother, who was stabbed to death in an apparent random attack while walking home from the grocery shop two years ago, remembers her this week as “a kind and loving lady who lived life to the full.”
The family of late 74-year-old Lorna England made the heartfelt statements at the conclusion of a government inquest into the woman’s murder in Exeter, England, which was officially deemed unlawful this week, according to ITV, The Guardian, and local Devon Live.
“Lorna was a beloved wife of fifty-two years, mother, grandmother, and sister,” the family stated in a statement following this week’s inquest. “She was a kind and loving lady who lived life to the full, and was the most content person you would ever wish to meet, her smile lit up the room and her gentle nature made everyone feel welcomed and loved.”
The family of England shared: “We have a permanent empty void because we miss Lorna so much, we will never come to terms with her loss, how do you come to terms with such a wicked act?”
On February 18, 2023, the grandmother was ambushed, attacked, and stabbed to death while walking through Ludwell Valley Park in Devon, England. Cameron Davis, her attacker, later pled guilty to manslaughter and received a 28-year prison sentence, according to the BBC.
This month, an ongoing government inquest investigating Davis’ emergency services has been held at the Exeter and Greater Devon Coroner’s Court in England. Davis suffered from mental health concerns. Testimony offered by local officials during the inquest, which concluded last week, revealed that England’s murder could have been averted if Davis had received proper medical care for his mental health issues.
However, according to The Guardian, Davis did not receive proper mental health care and instead had his care delayed because his health care service’s computer system was compromised, causing medical personnel to have difficulty communicating information about his condition. Local police and first responders have also been accused of neglecting to take Davis’ threats to harm someone seriously.
Davis approached a local police station in Exeter a month before killing England and warned officers he would “100%” kill someone, prompting officers to transport him to a nearby hospital, where he was eventually released, according to The Guardian. According to the publication, Davis informed a paramedic on the morning of England’s murder that he would kill a “random person” if authorities did not detain him.
According to sources, England was fatally stabbed in the park at random shortly after.
The senior coroner in England’s murder case discovered that after Davis threatened to kill a “random person” that morning, a mental health care nurse who was concerned about Davis’ mental health was placed on hold for more than two hours while attempting to contact local police, according to The Guardian. According to the publication, the mental healthcare worker’s phone was disconnected before she could contact local police to express her worries about Davis.
According to the BBC, England’s family is still mourning the murder of the 74-year-old grandmother, who was slain while heading to her local Lidl grocery shop to buy up flour. England walked there to “get her steps in,” according to authorities.
Lorna’s husband, Dave England, stated at Davis’ sentence last year that his wife was his “guiding light” and “soulmate,” but he was angry with Davis and called him “evil.”
“That morning she had planted daffodil and tulip bulbs ready for the spring,” England’s husband told her murderer. “No punishment that you ever receive will ever be adequate compared to the pain inflicted on Lorna and my family.”
