Safeguarding Review Highlights Agency Failings After Teen's Death

A safeguarding review has identified critical shortcomings in inter-agency collaboration concerning the death of 15-year-old Daejaun Campbell, who was fatally stabbed in Woolwich. The report, published by the Greenwich Safeguarding Children Partnership (GSCP), detailed how Daejaun's mother repeatedly raised concerns about his welfare and suspected involvement in drug dealing, but these warnings were not adequately addressed due to a lack of communication between services.

Mother's Persistent Warnings Ignored

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Jodian Taylor, Daejaun's mother, described herself as "not passive but persistent" in her efforts to secure help for her son between February and September 2024. She expressed concerns about knife possession, criminal exploitation, and suspected drug dealing to multiple agencies, including the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH), the local authority, and through Child in Need reviews. The review acknowledged her "remarkable perseverance" but concluded that the system's assessment of risk was hampered by the absence of regular multi-agency meetings that included her to discuss and measure risks based on outcomes.

Taylor told the BBC that she felt "a lot of shame, guilt, regret" and that the review's findings reflected the systemic failures she experienced. She also criticised delays in the report's publication, which she believed were partly due to her insistence that her son be referred to by name, to ensure he was identifiable and that the report acknowledged the impact of the agencies' actions.

Daejaun Campbell died at the scene on 22 September 2024 after being stabbed in the leg with a "zombie" knife, which severed an artery. Paramedics discovered drugs packaged for sale in his underwear. He was believed to have been targeted as part of a dispute between drug dealers. As he received medical attention, he reportedly said: "I'm 15, don't let me die."

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Recommendations for Future Safeguarding

Councillor Anthony Okereke, leader of Greenwich Council, acknowledged the review's central finding regarding the need for closer collaboration between schools, police, health services, and the council. He apologised to Daejaun's mother and stated that the council owed it to her and themselves to learn from the recommendations to prevent similar tragedies. The review proposed several recommendations, including enhanced joint working between agencies, stronger responses to exploitation and violence, earlier intervention for at-risk children, improved handling of missing children's cases, and more support for families facing safety concerns.

The report noted that similar failings had been identified in other cases, including the inquest into the death of 14-year-old Corey Junior Davis in 2017, which found "collective failings" across multiple public agencies. Daejaun's mother highlighted that the recommendations made in his review were often repeated from previous reports and had not been implemented effectively.

A similar case involving the murder of 14-year-old Kelyan Bokassa, a friend of Daejaun's, on a bus in Woolwich in January 2025, was also mentioned. Both mothers had previously spoken to BBC Panorama about their desperate attempts to get help for their sons.

“What happened to Daejaun is a product of their failings. The review is just the reaction for what they've allowed to happen.”

Jodian Taylor, Mother of Daejaun Campbell

What Happens Next

The review's recommendations aim to foster a more co-ordinated approach to sharing information and responding to concerns about young people at risk, requiring a "joint-up approach from the local level, regional level and national level" to combat exploitation by criminal gangs. The council has committed to learning from the findings to ensure Daejaun's death leads to meaningful change.