A mother who called the police on her own son, who was later found guilty of murder, has opened up about their heartbreaking final conversation.
Donna Delbono, a 42-year-old mother of seven, spoke to MailOnline earlier this month after a judge sentenced her 19-year-old son Joshua to life in prison for the fatal stabbing of 16-year-old Charley Bates in a public car park in Radstock, Somerset in July last year.
Joshua will have to serve at least 21 years of his sentence.
The day after the tragic incident, Donna, a former foster carer, called the police.
She recounted her feelings at the time, saying, “As I picked up the phone I felt sick.
I was shaking, crying.
I didn’t know how to say what I needed to say.”
She went on to say that she almost didn’t report her son to the police, but ultimately did what she felt was the right thing.
In the conversation with her son that preceded her call to the police, Joshua kept saying, “I’m sorry mum.
I’m so sorry,” while Donna embraced him and said, “I’m so sorry, too.”
Donna revealed that she didn’t know her son was carrying a knife and begged young people not to carry them.
She said that a knife had brought unimaginable devastation to one set of parents and heartbreak to her family.
Commentary:
This is a heartbreaking story of a mother who had to report her own son to the police after he committed a heinous crime.
Donna Delbono’s story highlights the tragic consequences of carrying a knife and the importance of speaking out and taking action when we see something that is not right.
It is commendable that she had the courage to report her own son, even though it must have been one of the most difficult decisions she ever had to make.
This story serves as a reminder of the importance of responsible parenting, but also of the challenges parents face when trying to raise their children in an increasingly complex and dangerous world.