Who created Maya's Law?

Maya’s Law was created by Gemma Chappell following the death of her great-niece, two-year-old Maya Chappell, in September 2022. The law calls for the “right to know”—giving concerned family members a legal right to be heard and act when a child is at risk. Gemma and her family are fighting to ensure other children don’t suffer as Maya did, after their repeated warnings were ignored.

During the inquest, it was revealed that Maya’s father, James Chappell, and his family had raised multiple concerns as bruises began appearing on Maya's face and body. Maya's mother Dana Carr dismissed these concerns, claiming Maya was injuring herself. In an effort to avoid scrutiny, she removed her daughter from nursery and continued allowing her boyfriend Michael Daymond to care for her, despite mounting evidence of abuse. Maya was fatally assaulted by Daymond and tragically never regained consciousness. A jury later heard how Daymond had been inflicting injuries on Maya over a number of weeks, often while messaging Carr with this abuse. Despite being aware of what was happening, Carr did nothing to stop him, instead continuing the relationship and reassuring him of her loyalty.

 

Detective Superintendent Chris Barker, who led the investigation, said: "Maya was  a defenceless two-year-old who should have been safe. Instead, she lived in fear, and couldn’t even rely on her own mother to protect her."

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Maya’s Law is Gemma's response to these devastating failures. It is a campaign for a necessary law that is rooted in heartbreak, bridges the gap between Clare's Law and Sarah's Law, calling for stronger safeguards, better intervention, and legal rights for family members to protect vulnerable children when official systems fall short.