Vyleen White’s daughter Cindy says family reeling after Yamanto stabbing

The daughter of a woman stabbed to death in an Ipswich shopping centre almost a year ago says the latest incident is a setback for her family.

Cindy Micallef has opened up following the latest shopping centre incident. Picture: Richard Walker

The daughter of a woman stabbed to death in an Ipswich shopping centre almost a year ago says the latest incident is a setback for her niece who only just got comfortable going to the shops again.

Vyleen White was stabbed in the carpark at Redbank Town Square on February 3, allegedly by a youth attempting to steal her car.

Her daughter Cindy Micallef said the family is reeling from the latest incident:

“I was devastated. It’s just so horrific, very surreal, like deja vu, because it’s like from yesterday it’s three weeks until mum’s first anniversary,” she said.

“Her family would be horrified and dismayed, asking why, this happened and what the hell is going on.

“I mean, these people would be so pained and heartache because they don’t know what the outcome is going to be.”

She said the incident was a setback for her niece who only just got comfortable going to the shops again after being told about her grandmother’s death.

“We are all devastated.

Vyleen White was fatally stabbed to death at a suburban shopping centre. Picture: Supplied/Facebook (via NCA NewsWire)

”My sister has been bawling when she heard the news, she said I cannot believe and it’s like near the same sort of time with what happened with mum.

“Her daughter has only just started being comfortable going back to the shops.

“My sister says she can’t let her see this. This is a trigger, not just for our family but for all victims.

“Our hearts are with these family, they really are, and we will do anything we can to support them. like personally, as our family but also the Voice for Victims.“

Ms Micallef said you should be able to go to the shops and feel safe.

“There needs to be new laws brought in with shopping centre security, mandate it for the shopping centres and the big stores,” she said.

Vyleen White’s daughter Cindy Micallef says her family will reach out to the latest victim’s family. File picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

Youth Crime Taskforce Assistant Commissioner Andrew Massingham just weeks ago warned that knife crime had skyrocketed in the past 10 years.

Offences involving weapons for 14-16 year-old boys increased a staggering 83 per cent while the number of offences per girl offender increased more than boys.

The 10-year snapshot also found 64 per cent of all serious violence offences with youths involve knives.

The number of violent youth offenders and offences had both increased by about 50 per cent over the last 10 years despite overall offenders decreasing 13 per cent.

Mr Massingham said he believed there appeared to be a “requirement” of children to carry weapons, post Covid, whether it be “knives, or tyre levers or machetes or fake guns”.

“It just appears to be the way at the moment, that that cohort of people tend to offend, to scare, intimidate, and for them to get what they need,” he said at the time.

Originally published as Vyleen White’s daughter Cindy says family reeling after Yamanto stabbing