The family of an abused young mum who died four years ago are demanding an investigation into her death, after claims it may not have been a suicide.
Tragic Demi Hannaway died in May 2021, after being subjected to mental and physical abuse at the hands of ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ partner Andrew Brown, for more than two years. He was found to have throttled her on multiple occasions, as well as calling her derogatory names and sent her “vile” messages
Cops concluded that the mum-of-two, from Airdrie, took her own life at the age of 23. Brown, 33, was jailed last May after he was found guilty of sending her abuse and threats, which were only discovered by her loved ones after her death.
However, her family now say police were too quick to conclude that Demi had killed herself. They believe his account of what happened in the hours leading up to her death was never questioned by officers despite a number of inconsistencies.
Demi’s mum Helen Simpson told the BBC: “We aren’t asking for police to reopen the investigation because they never did so in the first place. We believe – and it’s hard to say out loud – that he murdered her.
“We have raised our concerns with police. We do not believe Demi took her own life. That is based on her character and personality but it is also based on what we found in her home after her death and what we learned in the days and weeks afterwards.
“The police should have found and learned the same things but, instead, they arrived too late, left too soon, and completely failed our daughter.”
It’s understood Demi’s family have lodged a 32-point formal complaint that highlights what they say are serious concerns over the police response. Issues identified by the family include that officers took an hour to arrive at Demi’s home, claims that Brown told a police officer it was “all his fault” and evidence, they say, of a violent struggle in the house.
Her phone was also found by her family, under her bed smashed with the sim card missing after police left. Brown was jailed for 43 months at Airdrie Sheriff Court in May after admitting threatening and abusive behaviour after Demi’s sister Caitlin accessed her social media following her death.
She discovered abuse and threats from Brown spanning months including one wishing Demi was dead. Brown admitted assaulting Demi and conducting a course of abusive behaviour against her between January 1, 2019, and May 13, 2021 – the day of her death.
The court heard that shortly before she died the couple, who had two young children, argued at their Airdrie home in the early hours of the morning. Soon after Brown told a neighbour and Caitlin, who lived nearby, that she was dead.
After Demi’s death two children confided that they had witnessed Brown being violent towards her over a prolonged period. Demi met Brown in 2016 and they moved into their own home around a year later after she became pregnant. On the surface the couple appeared to have a loving relationship and Demi’s parents had no idea of the violence that Brown was inflicting on her behind closed doors.
The court heard that Brown assaulted Demi on one occasion when she had a child in her arms. He compressed her neck on multiple occasions, pinned her to the floor, spat at her and struck her repeatedly on the head and body.
On one occasion he opened the door of a car she was driving, putting her and young passengers at risk of injury. The jealous brute also accused Demi of communicating with another man and smashed her phone.
A friend who did a sponsored skydive in memory of Demi described her as “a happy, vibrant, amazing girl”, but added: “She was trapped in a toxic environment and was afraid to speak out about how bad her situation really was.”
Following Brown’s sentencing, Demi’s parents described the outcome of the court case as “bitter sweet” and their solicitor lodged a complaint with Police Scotland about the investigation.
A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: “A complaint has been received and is being progressed by our Professional Standards Department. It would be inappropriate to comment further while this is ongoing and a response will be sent to the complainers in due course.”
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