Mum of British boy, 13, stabbed by her ex in Portugal says ‘heart is broken, shattered’

The mum of Alfie Hallett, the British boy killed by her ex-partner in Portugal, has called the attacker a ‘monster’.

Alfie was fatally stabbed by Goncalo Carvalho, 43, at his home near the Portuguese city of Tomar.

His mother, Rachel Reeves, said she wished she had died in the attack, in which Carvalho killed himself in a gas explosion.

Ms Reeves, 43, said her world had ‘ended’ when Alfie, 13, was taken from her, adding that it ‘hurts to breathe’.

She wrote: ‘He was taken from me so unfairly and cruelly by that monster – too soon, when he still had so much to live for, so much to give to the world.

‘I miss him so much that it hurts to breathe. I wish he had taken me too, because my world ended the day I lost him. My heart is broken, shattered, and I don’t know how I will ever get through this.

‘I just hope, from the bottom of my soul, that Alfie always knew how loved he was – by me, above all else, with every fibre of my being. He was everything to me, my reason for living.’

Carvalho, a shop worker, used a knife to harm Alfie before turning on Ms Reeves, before knifing and barricading himself into their home while igniting gas before emergency services arrived on the scene.

He had previously served time for stabbing a man in a park and had been released from prison early on account of good behaviour.

Despite having split up from Ms Reeves, locals said the two had been witnessed together in previous weeks, including at a supermarket.

A fundraiser set up by the grieving mother’s friends has since surpassed €5,000.

Its organiser, Janine de Boos, wrote: ‘We are fundraising for Rachel Hallett. Alfie Hallett, her son of only 13 years old, was cruelly taken from her on December 23.

‘Having raised Alfie alone, both emotionally and financially, Rachel has worked hard to provide for her only son.

‘Now in this time of immeasurable tragedy, I would like to offer everyone who wishes to help the ability to donate some money to at least alleviate her immediate financial concerns about how to cover the funeral costs for her precious boy and also to hopefully provide Rachel with the means to have a brief respite whilst she deals with this huge shock and the devastation of what was her whole world.’

James McDowell, another friend who shared the fundraiser on his social media, said: ‘A few days ago one of my dearest friends experienced the loss of her beautiful son in the most traumatic and tragic of circumstances.

‘You may have seen this sad story in the media- who I also hope will see this.

‘We are heartbroken at the loss of Alfie, who was a shining light in the life of his mother Rachel. She had created a lovely life for them both in Portugal and Alfie was thriving in all areas of his life.

‘This truly was meant to be their ‘happy ever after’ but unfortunately Alfie’s light was extinguished by what can only be described as the cruel act of a monster.’

Alfie was a keen basketball player and had been in a match just four days before the tragedy.

In a tribute, the regional Santorem basketball association said: ‘We express our deep sorrow over the death of athlete Alfie Hallett.

‘To the family, friends, teammates and the entire basketball community, the Santarem Basketball Association sends its deepest condolences.’

Alfie’s grandmother, Linda, who lives in the UK, said she believed the teenager had died trying to defend his mother.

‘He really was a jolly little soul who loved to sing and dance’, she recalled.

‘He was such a lovely, gentle boy with a heart of gold.’

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