Justice for Layla: Change the Law for Babies Lost to Domestic Abuse

My name is Jemma, and this petition is for my daughter, Layla.

Layla was loved from the moment I knew she existed. She had ten tiny fingers, ten perfect toes, and the sweetest little button nose. She should have had the chance to open her eyes, take her first breath, and spend a lifetime surrounded by love. Instead, her life was cruelly taken from her before she ever had that chance.

During my pregnancy, I was assaulted by my former partner. That attack caused a placental abruption, and I lost my beautiful baby girl.

Because Layla died before the legal threshold that gives unborn babies certain recognition under the law, her death was not treated as the loss of a child whose life had been violently taken. The man responsible received a sentence of just 33 months in prison.

To me, that has never felt like justice.

It feels as though Layla was failed twice. She was failed by the person who should never have harmed us, and she was failed by a justice system that could not fully recognise what was taken from her.

Every day, I carry the weight of losing my daughter. Grief doesn’t end when the court case is over. There are days I wake up determined to keep fighting for her, and there are days when I feel like I’m losing my battle to have Parliament hear her voice. But I refuse to let Layla become another forgotten statistic.

She mattered.

She was my daughter.

She deserves to be remembered.

Sadly, our story is not unique. Domestic abuse during pregnancy can have devastating consequences, including the loss of a wanted baby. Yet many families are left feeling that the law does not fully reflect the gravity of these cases or the lifelong impact they have on mothers and their families.

That is why I am asking Parliament to review the law and consider stronger legal recognition and appropriate penalties in cases where domestic abuse causes the death of an unborn baby. No mother should have to endure the heartbreak of losing her child through violence and then feel that the justice system cannot fully acknowledge that loss.

This petition is not only for Layla. It is for every baby whose life was stolen before they had the chance to live it, and for every parent left carrying a lifetime of grief.

Please stand with us. Sign this petition, share Layla’s story, and help us ask Parliament to ensure that no family has to fight this battle alone.

Help us make sure Layla’s voice is heard.

Because every baby mattered.

Because every life mattered.

Because Layla mattered.