My dad killed my mum… he has taken the world from me and my soul has been dragged out
A GRIEVING son whose dad killed and cut up his mum has told how his world has been taken from him.
Callum Lawson said of murdered Yvonne McCann: "She was my best friend. She was always there when I needed her.
"Now she's gone I feel like my soul has been dragged out of my stomach."
Dad Thomas McCann strangled estranged wife Yvonne, 46, to death after a row over a bag of frozen chips being left out of the freezer in May 2020.
He then cut up her body, dumped the parts in body bags and left them in a country park like rubbish in Stockport, Greater Manchester. Only half of her remains were located.
McCann was jailed for a minimum of 12-and-a-half years at Manchester Crown Court and his children have since been tormented by what happened between their parents.
READ MORE UK NEWS
Yvonne's eldest son Callum told the : "For weeks I didn’t eat, I didn’t drink, I thought I was going to die one day anyway so it didn’t matter.
“Sometimes I can’t sleep at night. I close my eyes and she’s there, with her smile. I have children and she would take them out and do anything she could for them.
"She never met my youngest daughter. I’m always missing that piece of jigsaw to the part of my life. He has taken the world from me.”
And he has spoken to Thomas three times since he was jailed, adding: "He's the only person I can speak to about it, but I can't speak to him because he's done it.
Most read in The Sun
"You don't decide one day you're going to kill someone, there in the moment. He said he left her body on the floor for an hour as he was panicking what to do.
"And then he ended up doing what he did to her. I feel sick thinking about it."
Callum first heard his mum was missing ahead of a BBQ.
His dad said they had been in an argument and she had walked out, and his mum replied to his invite saying: "OK.. your dad is a m**g so he might be on his own."
Callum's sister Rachel then later texted him to say their mum was missing.
Thomas arrived at the BBQ days later drinking whisky, which was unusual as he did not drink, and kept going to the toilet and was looking at his phone.
It was later revealed that he had Yvonne's phone with him.
Callum then took his keys off him as he went to the car because he was drunk and Thomas said: "I've got something to tell you."
A few people then walked past but Callum thinks he wanted to reveal what he had done.
How you can get help
Women's Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
- Always keep your phone nearby.
- Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
- If you are in danger, call 999.
- Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
- Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
- If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – [email protected].
Women’s Aid provides a - available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.
Rachel and brother Josh found Yvonne's phone and rings in Thomas' pockets when he was passed out on the sofa and realised something was wrong.
And they then noticed on social media that dog walkers had found a body. Callum said: "All of a sudden we were all out looking. I was ringing her partner.
"I was ringing my dad but he just didn’t want to answer the phone.
"Then I got a message from my brother saying dad had been arrested on suspicion of murder - my heart just sank.
"I felt my soul was dragged out of me."
He said his parents often argued but there were never any domestic violence issues.
His dad struggled with mental health and previously attempted suicide, he added.
Callum added: “My mum’s not here, I’ve got no one. When people ask how the family is or what I’ve been up to, I have to tell them what happened, even some people at my work don’t know.
“They say “I’m so sorry for you”, and I just say “don’t worry about it, it’s life, I’ll get over it, I’ve got to try to be strong.”
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Read More on The Sun
“All I can think about is that one day mum will knock on my door, to this day my heart is always stuck in my mouth.
"I always wish we could turn back time to a happy life like I was a kid again. Mum’s always there in my head and I know she'll always be by my side."
