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BROKEN HEART

Who was Yousef Makki’s mother Debbie and how did she die?

THE mother of schoolboy Yousef Makki, who was stabbed to death, died a year after her son.

Her son's passing left Debbie Makki, 54, with a broken heart and she died only 16 months later.

Debbie Makki with her son Yousef, who attended Manchester Grammar School
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Debbie Makki with her son Yousef, who attended Manchester Grammar SchoolCredit: Facebook

Who was Debbie Makki?

On March 2, 2019, Yousef Makki, 17, was stabbed in the picturesque village of Hale Barns, Manchester.

The town, known for its popularity with footballers and celebrities, is a short drive from Manchester Grammar School, which Yousef attended.

He was with two friends, Joshua Molnar and Adam Chowdhary, both 17 at the time, when they had an altercation.

Yousef stepped in to break up the fight but was stabbed in the heart and died in hospital.

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His mother Debbie began campaigning against knife crime and was devastated when Molnar was cleared of murder and manslaughter.

While he admitted to stabbing his friend, he claimed he acted in self defence and was cleared of murder and manslaughter but found guilty of possession of a knife and perverting the course of justice.

Debbie slammed Molnar's parents for using a PR firm and said in February 2020 that the family had received "no condolences, no apology, no expression of grief" from Chowdhary and his family.

Chowdhary was charged with possession of a flick-knife and given a four-month detention order.

Molnar was freed in February 2020, after serving only eight months of his 16 month sentence.

How did Debbie Makki die?

The family did not reveal the cause of Debbie's death but said she passed away in the early hours of May 24, 2020.

It is believed that she died of sepsis.

Her death, was announced in a statement on Facebook which said: "We love you so so much, I didn't think my heart could take any more pain and loss and grief.

"Please say a prayer for her soul today & pray for my little brother who has lost 2 of the closest people to him in the space of a year & all of us that have been left behind.

"Mum died with a broken heart & we knew she wanted justice for Yousef & I promise you mum we won't give up until we get it for you."

Yousef's sister Jade Akoum added that her mother's mental and physical wellbeing had deteriorated since his death.

She said: "Her heart was broken and the spark in her eyes had gone.

"The toll of losing Yousef was colossal."

Who is Yousef Makki's father?

The teenager's father Ghaleb Makki requested a judicial review of the coroner's report through Pete Weatherby QC.

It aims to quash the ruling made by Senior South Manchester Coroner Alison Mutch in November 2021 that the killing was not unlawful.

The application argues that the inquest was unreasonable as it "failed to address or make findings on central matters in the case such as to enable her to reach a conclusion - on the balance of probabilities - as to the lawfulness of the killing".

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Pete Weatherby said the coroner had failed to address or offer any analysis about Joshua Molnar's state of mind, whether he produced a knife first or if Yousef had drawn a knife at all.

Jade Akoum, named her son after her late brother Yousef, with the approval of Ghaleb.

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