Heartbreak as money raised for orphaned kids stolen in burglary after family die

Loved ones had raised £9,000 for Ronnie-Ray and True-Mary McGuinness, eight and seven, after the deaths of three of their family members in just three years in Walker, Newcastle

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Two youngsters have been robbed of the money raised for them after losing their family over the course of three years.

Ronnie-Ray and True-Mary McGuinness, eight and seven, from Walker in Newcastle, were being looked after by their grandfather after their parents' deaths.

Their mother Julieann McAllister, 38, passed away after battling a short illness on Christmas Eve in 2021, with their dad Ronnie McGuinness, 44, suffering a fatal attack in August last year.

Along with their older brother Jayden, 16, the trio were taken into their 61-year-old grandfather's care. Weeks after Ronnie's death, Jayden was knocked off his bike and killed by a dangerous driver.

Ryan Elsender, 29, was jailed for eight years in February after causing death by dangerous driving and dangerous driving following the crash.

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Following Ronnie's sudden death, almost £9,000 was raised for the children's future. Their grandfather, Brian White, kept the money in a safe in his 82-year-old father's home until he could get official legal guardianship of the children and open bank accounts for them, reports Chronicle Live.

He was left devastated when his dad's house in Walker was broken into on October 3. All of the money was stolen as well as precious jewellery which belonged to Ronnie and Jayden.

Two people, a man in his 50s and a woman in her 30s, were arrested by police on suspicion of burglary. They have both been released on bail pending further enquiries.

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Ronnie's cousin Debbie Bell raised the money for the children last year. The 43-year-old has now been forced to start all over again and has created a second Go Fund Me page.

Debbie, who lives in Walker, said: "They are not even double figures and they have lost literally everyone in their family. The whole situation is absolutely heartbreaking.

"To lose both parents is bad enough but their older brother, who they looked up to and who protected them, is also gone. I have never known one family to go through so much heartbreak in a short period of time.

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"It's like a horror movie that you just want to wake up from. It doesn't even seem real but we know it's real - it's just horrendous.

"Grandad Brian has been trying to get legal guardianship for the last year. Everything has been taken, including Ronnie's and Jayden's jewellery. That is the only thing left of them."

Debbie said she wanted to give Ronnie-Ray and True-May a better start to their adult life then they have had to their younger life. She said: "I just want to be able to help these two amazing children.

"There's no words that I can say or do that will bring them back, or change how they feel, but I can try to help a little bit. I want to help and be there as much as I can."

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Brian, who also lost his wife Keran, 57, in March last year from a brain tumour, was already caring for Julieann's two older children from a previous relationship following her death. When Ronnie passed away, he started looking after Jayden, Ronnie-Ray and True-Mary.

He said: "They still ask for their mam and dad, and their brother. They will be like that for the rest of their life. Jayden was perfect, he was just like them really."

Brian said his dad, who is also called Brian White, had been visiting the social club when his property on Eastbourne Avenue was targeted earlier this month. He said: "It was half past eleven at night.

"He goes to the social club and I was dropping him back off. The door was open with all of the lights on. He went over and it had been ransacked. I didn't expect anything like that to happen."

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Chronicle Live previously reported how Ronnie was at home with Ronnie-Ray and True-Mary when he had a cardiac arrest last year. The two children ran to a neighbour for help and paramedics worked on him for over an hour. Sadly they were unable to save his life.

Debbie rushed to the property in a taxi, after being contacted by the neighbour, and arrived at the same time as Jayden, who was hysterical. When Ronnie passed, she took Jayden to say goodbye to his dad. She said: "He died of a broken heart. He had a massive heart attack due to an enlarged heart."

Less than six weeks later, the family were hit with another tragedy when Jayden was killed on Walker Road. A large number of floral tributes were left by the side of the road following his death.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how Elsender was driving a VW Golf when he saw a group of youths riding bikes ahead of him and sped up to 71mph on a 30mph road to accelerate past them. But he slammed into Jayden, leaving him fatally injured.

Elsender had his partner's 18-month-old child and, by chance, Jayden's cousin Ethan Tait in the vehicle at the time. The court heard how Mr Tait asked Elsender to slow down but he said he didn't hear him. When he got out, he was shocked to find the victim was Jayden.

Debbie has praised Brian for everything he has done for the children. She said: "Grandad Brian is absolutely fantastic. I have never known anybody be so strong. I think the little ones are keeping Brian going. They idolise him, they just absolutely adore him.

"I want these people who are responsible for the burglary - that have taken everything that Ronnie and True had left of their dad and brother - brought to justice for what they have done.

"The jewellery that is being left to them is not replaceable. They're never going to get that back."

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: "Shortly after 11.40pm on Friday, October 3, we received a report of a burglary at an address on Eastbourne Avenue in the Walker area of Newcastle. It was reported that offenders forced entry to the property before taking cash and jewellery.

"An investigation was launched and two people, a man in his 50s and a woman in her 30s, were later arrested on suspicion of burglary. Both have been released on police bail pending further enquiries.

“Enquiries remain ongoing and anyone with information is asked to get in touch with us by sending a direct message on social media, or by using the live chat or ‘report’ form function on our website. Those who can’t contact us online should call 101. Please quote crime reference number: 115200W/25."