Forum: Don’t just mourn Megan’s death but be moved enough to act next time
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The recent sentencing in Megan Khung’s case (Abuse, death of four-year-old girl: Mum jailed 19 years, boyfriend gets 30 years’ jail, 17 strokes, April 3) has reawakened a deep, shared sorrow. Like others, I was horrified by her abuse and death. Nineteen years in prison feels hollow when a child has lost her life in such a cruel and preventable way.
What makes this tragedy even harder to bear is knowing Megan wasn’t invisible. Her suffering didn’t go unnoticed. Concerns about her safety were raised. People noticed, cared, and tried to act.
Somewhere along the way, those red flags were raised, but somehow not followed through with the protection Megan needed.
This isn’t about blaming any one individual or organisation or pointing fingers. It’s about asking ourselves: How can we do better next time?
We must acknowledge that even when professionals raise alarms, the response isn’t always clear or coordinated.
At times, the legal system may prioritise parental rights over a child’s safety, and well-meaning individuals – teachers, social workers, family members – are left powerless.
We need a comprehensive, coordinated national approach to child protection, one that connects schools, social services and the legal system to respond to concerns swiftly and decisively.
More than that, we need a cultural shift. We can no longer treat child abuse as a private matter; we must all be willing to step up and act when we see something wrong.
Megan’s story is a wake-up call to all of us to be “upstanders”, not bystanders. Upstanders don’t just notice; they speak up, intervene, and ensure that action is taken.
When a child’s safety is at risk, we must ask ourselves: Are we willing to step in and do what it takes to protect him?
Megan’s death shouldn’t just be something we mourn. It should change us. It should move us – to reform our systems, to listen to the warnings, and to act in ways that protect our children. For her sake – and for all the children who still need us to see, to care, and to act.
Hana Alhadad
