'Being raped was a death sentence for Levi'

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. 'Being raped was a death sentence for Levi' 6 hours ago Share Save Add as preferred on Google Nikki Mitchell South of England home affairs correspondent Levi had six brothers and sisters who hope, that by sharing her story, more survivors of sexual violence will seek help Warning: this article contains upsetting content "It's haunted me since we found her," said Michelle Davies, who discovered her daughter Levi dead "one year and one day" after she was raped in a Southampton park. "Over that year, as a family, we watched her shatter into pieces," Michelle said. "The rape killed her the day of the attack - it just took a year for it to happen.

" Levi Davies, 20, from Andover, died in February 2024 after taking a lethal amount of the class B drug, ketamine. Michelle will never know if the overdose was planned or accidental, as an inquest into her death did not determine her intentions and recorded an "open" conclusion. Her family is sharing her story to highlight the profound mental torment experienced by survivors of sexual violence and the need for "longer term" support.

The Details

River Davies River Davies said his twin sister Levi 'was like another part of my soul' Levi had "so much energy you could feel her the other side of a door," said her twin brother, River, 22, as he recalled her strength and the special bond between them. "There was no moment where she wasn't present, even if she was away and I was busy, it was another version of myself to have a conversation with. " Another of Levi's six siblings, Oscar, 19, remembered: "Every time I had a bully, she'd sort the bully out.

"She was a sister in every way, she was just the best, in every way that counted. " Michelle agreed Levi was "totally family orientated". "Growing up, she was strong and had dreams", she said and described how Levi and her toddler son had moved into a flat, she had a job and "everything had just fallen into place" for her.

Then, she said "all of a sudden she was attacked" and "slowly her life fell apart a bit at a time". Family photo Levi's mother Michelle Davies said before the attack "everything had fallen into place" for her daughter Levi, then 19, had stayed at a hotel in Southampton after a night out. She had been drinking heavily and at about 07:00 GMT on Sunday 19 February 2023, she decided to go out for a walk to "try and sober up".

What Experts Say

She asked a passerby for the time, but instead of helping her, the man, Rosario Dos Reis, 28, led her "into the bushes in Palmerston Park" and raped her, repeatedly. Levi eventually managed to mouth the word "help" to a woman walking past, who shouted and called 999, putting an end to her ordeal. Action Line Her family are grateful to Hampshire Police for treating Levi with care as well as catching her attacker.

In a victim impact statement read out later in court, Levi said: "This man has changed my life forever - it's a life sentence I didn't deserve.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.