Unbearable agony of Shawn Seesahai's family - horror phone call, cruel debt and sad wish

Shawn Seesahai, 19, tragically died after two violent 12-year-old boys brutally knifed him in a West Midlands park, while he was visiting the UK for medical treatment

The heartbroken family of Shawn Seesahai was told the news of his harrowing murder 4,000 miles away.

Shawn, a 19-year-old from Anguilla in the Caribbean, had travelled to the UK for medical treatment last year when he was savagely knifed in a random machete attack. The killers, who were aged 12 at the time, slashed Shawn's legs and plunged a blade through his heart, in a park in Bilston, West Midlands.

The 'loving' teenager was set upon by the violent youths as he and a friend sat on a bench waiting to meet another pal. The ordeal left 'defenceless' Shawn with a fractured skull and a 23cm-deep wound that almost passed all the way through his body. He sadly died at the scene on November 13, 2023.

The killers, who cannot be named for legal reasons, have today been sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to a minimum of eight years and six months - the equivalent of a life sentence for a juvenile. Justice Tipples said: "When you killed Shawn he was 19, starting out on his adult life with everything to live for."

Shawn's parents, Maneshwary and Suresh Seesahai, who live in their family home in Anguilla, received a call from a friend who had been with him as police arrived at the scene. His mother told the BBC: "I just dropped. I don't know what happened after." She later said: "Shawn didn't deserve to die like that."

The family travelled to the UK 12 days after to hold a candlelit vigil in the park where he died. They used their life savings to send his body home, and had to take out a loan to fund flights and accommodation for the murder trial. But they couldn't afford to be here for the sentencing, and so had to watch via a video link.

Shawn's father told the publication: "They killed my son like they kill a dog. It's brutal. They stab him through and through. They kick him. They cuff him. He was helpless." The family has struggled to come to terms with how two children could kill. His killers, now aged 13, are believed to be the youngest knife murderers in British legal history.

The whole island of Anguilla - which has a population of just 4,000 - is "hurting", Shawn's basketball coach said, with local youths "upset" and "solemn". His parents cremated Shawn's body and scattered his ashes at his favourite beach, in the sea, and plan to hold a memorial there on the anniversary of his death.

A statement read to the court at the sentencing today said: "As a family we are struggling in so many ways since Shawn was taken from us, especially in the horrific way in which he was taken. Losing a child is a parent's worst nightmare. To put it all down in a statement on how it has impacted our lives would take more than a day to read.

"It has left a huge hole in the pit of our stomach which nothing can fill, we are devastated as a family, totally heartbroken and confused." The statement added that Shawn was incredibly close to his younger sister, Shana, who had always dreamed of being there for his wedding and him being there for hers.

They added: "Mentally it has been hard for any of us to function normally. None of us have had an unbroken night's sleep since Shawn was taken from us. Every time I close my eyes all I can think about are what his last moments were and how scared he must have been. It continually breaks my heart.

"The impact on us as a family is devastating, it's hard to believe that we will ever come to terms with what has happened. We will never get to see Shawn get married or have a family of his own. These things have been taken from us for what appears to be no reason at all." The teen had only been in the UK for six months after arriving for eye surgery.

At a hearing in June, his mother Maneshwary, said: "Shawn was such a loving son, he was so well-mannered, looked after us, was loving to everyone and very protective. He always said he wanted to work, he wanted his own house, his own car. He liked basketball and cricket, he loved those sports. He was always listening to music. He spent most of his time at home and didn't want to go out much."

His father, Suresh, said: "I will remember him every day, when I get home I see his pictures, his clothes, his sneakers, I will always remember him. Even at work, I work for myself and he works for me on weekends, when I would pack up my stuff he always helped me. Whenever I put anything in my truck now, he will be there with me helping me do it.

"I never had a problem with Shawn, he was such a loving son. He would be up at 5am to work, and whenever I paid him he always saved it. We are a very close family, we'll never forget him."