Mum’s fight to keep daughter’s killer locked up

It’s been more than a decade since Mandy Burgess’ daughter was murdered on her way home from school. Now, the killer could be released.

Tania Burgess was murdered in 2005.

Tania Burgess was only 15 years old when, while walking home from school on the Central Coast of NSW, her life was brutally taken from her.

It was on July 19, 2005 that Tania left the bus she took every day and started the short walk home to her family’s place in Forrester’s Beach.

A 16-year-old boy, who can only be identified as DL, had been watching Tania and followed her off the bus.

She was mere minutes from home when DL approached her, brutally stabbing her 48 times before running off.

Tania Burgess was stabbed to death in broad daylight in 2005.

Her parents heard the end of the murder, running to their daughter where she died in their arms a short time later.

“The images of seeing her die and the state she was in are burned into our memories forever,” her mum Mandy wrote in the family’s petition to keep the man in jail.

DL was found a short time later and convicted of Tania’s murder but 14 years after her brutal stabbing, he could be eligible for parole.

The teen found guilty of murdering Tania Burgess.

In a change.org petition aimed at keeping the now 29-year-old man behind bars and to have his identity revealed, Tania’s parents are calling for the community to “stand up and do something”.

“I feel Tania deserves more justice than this, her life was cut short and we are so deeply saddened by the loss of our daughter and knowing that the man that killed her could potentially be released without a name or face for the community to watch out for,” her parents Mandy and Chris wrote.

“As the Parole Hearing will take place over the next couple of months or so a sense of urgency for support is needed.”

Chris and Mandy Burgess.

DL was sentenced to 22 years in prison with a non-parole period of 17 years but he had four years wiped from his sentence in December after a successful appeal of his sentence.

The 29-year-old was also a juvenile when he committed the murder meaning his full identity can never be revealed to the public.

“Support us as we give our daughter Tania the justice she deserves by keeping DL in jail and push for our government to amend the identification law of serious offenders when they turn 18 so that they can be identified to the public,” the parents wrote.

According to justice staff, DL has never admitted guilt or shown remorse for the murder.

“We are so saddened to know someone who ended our daughter’s life (she received a death sentence) that he may have a chance to be set free and live a life of freedom for himself, free with no name or face attached to his crimes publicly,” the Burgess’ wrote.

“Regardless of what boundaries or areas are set for parole conditions no one will know who he is.”

According to The Daily Telegraph, DL was taken out of juvenile detention early and sent to an adult prison after making death threats against the guards.

The parole board will review DL’s sentence on March 8.