THE grandmother of a baby girl who died after spending all her life in a damp and overcrowded York flat has thanked people for their overwhelming kindness in the wake of the tragedy.

June Davis said every mother’s nightmare came true when her grandaughter Telan died suddenly last October at her mould-ridden home in Chapelfields.

In a letter to The Press, “written from the heart of a very heartbroken nanna”, she said she had not previously had the strength, physically and mentally, to write.

She said she wanted to say thank you from the bottom of her heart to “all the wonderful people who have shown such kindness and love to my daughter and indeed to all the family since that terrible day”.

She said: “There have been many acts of kindness, so many I’ve lost count.”

But while nearly all comments had been supportive, there had inevitably been the “other side of human nature”, she said, such as the person who, only two days after Telan’s death, had told her she should “be over it” by now, and she had plenty of other grandchildren.

She said: “Yes, I do have others, but I could have hundreds and it wouldn’t detract from the love and loss that I feel on a constant daily basis.”

She particularly praised staff at York Hospital, who not only tried to save Telan, but also helped Telan’s mother, Kia, especially a nurse called James who stayed with her throughout the whole night and helped her over the following days of pain.

She said: “He was truly a wonderful person, a caring and considerate nurse and most of all understanding of the grief which overwhelmed all the family.”

She praised Co-operative Funeral Directors, who handled funeral arrangements with great understanding, care and consideration for Kia and family, and also complete strangers, including a man who gave £500 anonymously to Telan’s headstone fund and another man from Barlby, near Selby, who donated hand-made model buildings including a chapel, minster/abbey, a farm and cottage among others, to be auctioned off later.

She also thanked staff at The Press, who had done “a marvellous job” of both supporting Kia and keeping Telan’s legacy in public view by regularly updating its Stamp Out Poverty” campaign.


THE grandmother of a York baby who died last autumn has written this letter to The Press to thank everyone who has shown kindness and love since the tragedy:

TO everyone who has over the past six months shown overwhelming kindness to my daughter Kia Carlton-Stone and her son Taran.

This has taken me a long time to write as I honestly haven’t had the strength, both physically and mentally to write it.

Six months ago on October 6, 2012, every mothers nightmare came true when my beautiful granddaughter Telan Kaitlyn Skye died suddenly at her mould-ridden flat in Chapelfields.

This letter is not being written to condemn anyone but as a time to say thank you to all the wonderful people who have shown such kindness and love to my daughter and indeed to all the family since that terrible day.

Firstly to the staff at York hospital who not only tried to save Telan but who helped Kia at the time, especially James the nurse, who was on duty at York hospital on that evening and who stayed with Kia throughout the whole night, who helped her throughout the police interview and indeed over the following days of pain.

He was truly a wonderful person, a caring and considerate nurse and most of all understanding of the grief which overwhelmed all the family.

The next person was a man called Michael from Co-operative Funeral Directors, who handled all the arrangements with not only great understanding and care but with efficient understanding and consideration for Kia and family.

The next few weeks are very blurred but acts of love and care have continued from complete strangers.

A gentleman gave £500 anonymously to Telan’s headstone fund, thank you with love.

A gentleman from Barlby who donated beautiful hand-made model buildings including a chapel, minster/abbey, a farm and cottage amongst others, to be auctioned off at a date to be fixed. So many hours of work went into these models, but the gentleman gave them so willingly and as both he and his wife are suffering bad health, it was even more amazing.

There have been many acts of kindness, so many I’ve lost count, that all I can say to them all is thank you from the bottom of my heart.

The staff at The Press have done a marvellous job of both supporting Kia and of keeping Telan’s legacy in public view by regularly updating “End Poverty” campaign which was set up by The Press to not only profile the poor housing in York but who have helped to make the public aware that such things are happening in York, right under their noses. They have also supported Kia with regular contact.

To Peter, from the Guardian, who was making a study of poor or inadequate housing in the area, and who had been working with Kia’s family for several months, lending support and donations following Telan’s death.

At the time nearly all comments were of support, but inevitably there was the other side of human nature, the remarks made to Kia and indeed myself, why?

One person asked did Kia have another child whilst living in Chapelfields, the answer is simple, the flat in Chapelfields was only meant to be a temporary home from York council and only meant to be a few months at the most.

Kia didn’t want Taran growing up an only child. And comments as to why Kia had a dog, hello, wake up, this is Chapelfields, she felt safer with dog around and thank goodness she kept him as he has become Taran’s special friend in recent months.

The main hurtful comment to myself was made just two days after Telan’s death, when I was told I should “be over it” by now, and I had plenty of other grandchildren.

Yes I do have others, but I could have hundreds and it wouldn’t detract from the love and loss that I feel on a constant daily basis.

I am writing this in the sincere hope that although it is long, it is written from the heart of a very heartbroken nanna.

June Davis, Kingsway North, Clifton, York.