This is the horrific moment my granddaughter was murdered in front of her daughter, 3 – the image will haunt me forever
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JUST moments earlier Cher Maximen had been laughing and dancing with her three-year-old daughter, Niketa.
But lying on the pavement in the middle of the carnival the mum was now fighting for her life as she bled out.
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Cher Maximen was stabbed at Notting Hill Carnival last year
Credit: HotSpot Media
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Horrific bodycam footage caught the moment she was caught in the scuffle
Credit: HotSpot Media
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Her grandmother Vyleen (left) has been left to care for Cher's (right) daughter Niketa (seen centre)
Credit: HotSpot Media
After a fight broke out between some men, amid the scuffle, the mum-of-one was stabbed in the groin.
And her grandmother, Vyleen, 68, received the devastating call that she was fighting for her life in hospital.
Tragically, six days later, the 32-year-old passed away from her injuries.
In May this year, Shakeil Thibou, 20, was found guilty of her murder and handed a 29 year sentence.
Now, grandmother of seven, Vyleen, is raising awareness of knife crime and calling for Notting Hill Carnival to be moved to a secure spot.
She says: 'Cher had her whole life ahead of her with Niketa.
'It was snatched away from her because of senseless violence.
'That monster hasn't shown an ounce of remorse for taking her life and leaving Niketa motherless.
'No child should have to witness their mother dying in front of them.
'It's horrific.
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'Now I want to see the carnival moved to a park or area that can be monitored or controlled better, so thugs cannot commit these horrific crimes and slip away, unnoticed, into the crowd.'
Since he was a child, Cher had attended the annual summer carnival, celebrating her Caribbean heritage.
A clothes designer and part-time model, she loved to showcase her latest creations.
Vyleen, from Bristol, says: 'Cher had dreams of starting her own fashion label.
'She loved going to the carnival each year and covering her hair and face in glitter.
'She'd always have some whacky costume, too.
'The year before she'd worn a cat suit and shiny Dr Martens.'
Last summer, Cher decided to take her daughter, Niketa, for the first time on the carnival's family day.
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In May this year, Shakeil Thibou, 20, was found guilty of her murder and handed a 29 year sentence
Credit: HotSpot Media
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Shaeim Thibou, 22, was found guilty of assaulting an emergency worker, PC Oliver Mort and given an 18-month suspended sentence
Credit: HotSpot Media
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Sheldon Thibou was found guilty of violent disorder
Credit: HotSpot Media
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The bodycam footage was played in court helping to secure a guilty verdict
Credit: HotSpot Media
Vyleen recalls: 'She was so excited to show Niketa the performers and celebrate the culture.'
When Vyleen's phone rang that night, it wasn't Cher's voice on the other end.
She explains: 'I answered, thinking it was her calling as her ID flashed up, but it was a nurse.
'When she told me Cher'd been injured, I panicked.'
Vyleen raced to the St Mary's Hospital in London where a police officer informed her Cher had been stabbed in the groin at the carnival with her attacker still at large.
Thankfully, Niketa was unharmed and being cared for by her godmother, TJ, 39.
Vyleen says: 'Soon after a consultant appeared and explained that Cher had lost a lot of blood and that they were trying to stabilise her.
'When the nurse took me in to see her I broke down seeing her hooked up to multiple machines.'
Over the next 24 hours, Cher underwent two major operations in an attempt to stem the internal bleeding she'd suffered.
During the second, Vyleen was told by the surgeon that she might not make it.
Afterwards, she was induced into a coma and hooked up to a ventilator.
Vyleen says: 'I was told she'd suffered enormous injuries but that they'd do everything in their power to save her.
'I prayed she'd pull through.'
Meanwhile, her liaison officer informed her that they'd arrested three men, but couldn't tell her anymore.
Over the next few days, while family members rallied around, Vyleen begged her granddaughter to wake up.
Eventually, six days on from the attack, she was told Cher wouldn't survive.
She says: 'The consultant told me she had no quality of life, that her brain had been starved of oxygen for too long.
'Still, his words didn't sink in. I wasn't ready to say goodbye.'
That day family members came to be with Cher and at 5:50am, Cher took her last breath.
Vyleen says: 'It still didn't seem real.
'That night, TJ broke the news to Niketa and I went to see her the next morning.
'She was staring into the distance. Was so traumatised by what she'd witnessed.
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Cher had been attending the carnival since she was a chold
Credit: Facebook
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Vyleen is now trying to raise awareness of knife crime
Credit: PA
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The family keep a cardboard cut out of Cher in their home to keep her memory alive for Niketa
Credit: HotSpot Media
'When she told me 'Mummy was bleeding and I couldn't save her', I had to fight back tears. I told her 'You were so brave and your mummy loves you so much'.
'My heart broke for her.'
Vyleen took Niketa back to live with her in Bristol and planned Cher's funeral.
Soon after, three brothers were charged in connection with Cher's murder.
Two months on, in October 2024, the family held her funeral.
Vyleen says: 'She was taken to the church in a horse and cart.
'The church was so full, some people had to stand outside.
'It was lovely to see how many lives Cher had touched.
Her beautiful spirit lives on in her precious daughter
Vyleen Maximen
'As they carried her out, Diamonds by Rihanna was played.It was a fitting tribute.
'When we reached the grave to lay roses inside, Niketa broke down.
'Knowing she'd never see her mum again made my heart ache. It wasn't fair.'
In March this year Vyleen attended the Thibou brothers' trial.
The Old Bailey heard that a fight had broken out between some men, and officers intervened when they spotted one, Sheldon Thibou, 25, had an illegal stun gun.
The officer was assaulted and in the scuffle, Cher was knocked to the floor.
She grabbed one of the brother's coats to get back up and kicked out at him to defend her and Niketa.
That's when Shakeil Thibou, 20, pulled out a knife and stabbed her in the groin.
She fell down and bled out in front of Niketa.
Top 10 worst UK areas for serious knife crime
These are the stats for the latest 12-month period, with the previous year in brackets:
London Met 16,521 (13,957)
West Midlands 4,930 (5,239)
Greater Manchester 3,427 (-)
West Yorkshire 2,318 (2,373)
South Yorkshire 1,459 (1,629)
Essex 1,532 (1,575)
Merseyside 1,241 (1,276)
Sussex 1,186 (1,030)
Avon and Somerset 1,683 (1,368)
Lancashire 1,189 (1,043)
Six weeks on, Shakeil was found guilty of murder, attempted GBH on 20-year-old Adjei Isaac with intent and possession of an offensive weapon.
Vyleen says: 'When the judge sentenced him to a minimum of 29 years, I broke down in relief.
'I had justice for my girl at last.'
Shaeim Thibou, 22, was found guilty of assaulting an emergency worker, PC Oliver Mort and given an 18-month suspended sentence.
Sheldon Thibou was found guilty of violent disorder. He had previously pleaded guilty to the possession of an illegal stun gun and assaulting PC Mort, who tried to intervene.
He's due to be sentenced at a later date.
Vyleen adds: 'I'm now using my voice to speak out against knife crime.
'I didn't even hear from the organisers of the carnival following Cher's death.
'It's appalling.
'I would like the carnival to be better monitored so other innocent lives are protected.
'As for Niketa, now four, I was granted guardianship. She's the bravest little girl.
'We keep a life-sized cut out of Cher in the hallway, so every time she comes home, she sees her mum.
'We talk about her constantly and miss her every day.
'Thankfully, her beautiful spirit lives on in her precious daughter.'
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