The mother of murdered teenager Paige Doherty has paid tribute to her daughter on the fifth anniversary of her disappearance – and said it was the last time her life was “normal”.
Paige, 15, vanished while buying breakfast at Delicious Deli in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire early on March 19, 2016, just minutes from her family home.
Two days later her body was found dumped by the side of the road with 61 stab wounds, and killer John Leathem was hit with a 23-year sentence for the murder.
Grieving mum Pamela Doherty, 37, said it feels like five minutes rather than five years since she last spoke to her oldest child, who she described as “warm and angelic”.
STV NewsMum-of-six Pamela has stayed in touch with her daughter’s schoolfriends and says it breaks her heart knowing there will never be driving tests to celebrate or 21st birthday parties – which Paige would have loved.
Pamela said: “She had her head screwed on, she would’ve been doing good things.
“I see the other girls passing their driving tests and graduating university and think ‘that should be her’.
SWNS via SWNS“She should be 21 next month and she would’ve loved that.
“Turning 18 and 21 were big deals for her and she missed out on both.
“I should be helping her buy her first house.
“I could’ve been a gran – I doubt it – but you never know.
“I’ll never have that with her.”
‘I’m just a normal person and the things I’ve had to face because somebody decided to take my wee girl’s life. It’s unimaginable.’
Pamela Munro
Since Paige’s death, Pamela has enrolled on a criminology degree in a bid to help other grieving families and started charity Paige’s Promise.
She said: “Five years ago my life was normal.
“I didn’t have all this – the grief, the trolling.
“I’m just a normal person and the things I’ve had to face because somebody decided to take my wee girl’s life. It’s unimaginable.
“I can’t believe it’s been five years since I last spoke to her. It seems like five minutes.
“She’s still such a massive part of my life and she always will be.”
SWNS via SWNSPamela said she worries about her other children, including her oldest son, Andrew, 15.
She said: “It’s always in the back of my mind thinking ‘will he make it past that age?’.
“I think I’ll feel that way with every kid, I know that might sound daft to some, but it’s a fear I’ll always have.
“Knowing his next birthday, he’ll overtake her age-wise is really strange as well.
“People say he’s my eldest now, but he’ll always be my second born.
“Paige will always be my eldest.”
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