Key Points
- Vyleen White died after being stabbed at a shopping centre in Ipswich, Queensland.
- Her daughter has called for an end to hostility towards the African community after reports of abuse.
- Cindy Micallef said her mother “looked for the best in people” and had always pursued peace.
The daughter of a 70-year-old who was stabbed to death has pleaded for an end to hostility towards the African community who have been abused in the wake of the killing.
Vyleen White died after the attack at a shopping centre in Ipswich, Queensland, on Saturday during an alleged carjacking.
White was with her six-year-old granddaughter at the time, and five boys, all aged either 15 or 16 have been charged in connection with the incident, including one with murder.
Police have not spoken about the nationalities or backgrounds of those charged.
Beny Bol, the president of the Queensland African Communities Council, said people have been told to ‘go back to your country’ in the wake of the attack.
Speaking on Thursday, alongside White’s daughter Cindy Micallef, he said: “‘You shouldn’t be in this country, pack all of your stuff’ … you can imagine how that’s affecting people everywhere.”
Micallef said her mother’s death had left her heartbroken.
She added: “Mum’s legacy will live on in peace. She was never one to be prejudiced, she always looked for the best in people.
“Mum always said ‘If I died, no one would care’, and sorry mum but you’re sort of a bit in the spotlight now,” she said.
“If this is all for one reason, it is to pursue peace.”