Tania Burgess murder: Mother petitions to keep killer in jail

The mother of a Central Coast teenager who was stabbed to death is desperately petitioning to keep her daughter’s killer in jail.

Tania Burgess, 15, was on her way home from school on July 19, 2005, when she was attacked by a 16-year-old boy who stabbed her 48 times.

Following an extensive investigation and court case, the 16-year-old – who can only be identified as “DL” as he was a minor at the time of murder – was jailed for a maximum of 22 years for the murder.

DL, who is now 29, is now eligible for parole after serving 13 years of his sentence.

Tania’s parents, Mandy and Chris Burgess, are now urgently petitioning NSW Minister for Corrections David Elliott to keep DL behind bars.

“If we as community don’t stand up and do something about it this, DL could be released and potentially commit more crimes,” Mandy and Chris Burgess write in their petition.

“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.”

At the time, DL’s sentence was one of the longest ever given to a juvenile offender.

The concerned parents are also petitioning the Corrections Minister to “amend the identification law” of serious offenders when they turn 18 so that they can be identified to the public.

“If released DL will still be a threat to the community at a large, because of his mental state it is evident that he could potentially do the crime again to someone else’s daughter,” the petition reads.

“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.

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

The parole board is set to consider DL’s release over the coming months.