Mother killed at Notting Hill ‘protected her child’, family say

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The family of a “beautiful inside and out” mother stabbed to death in front of her three-year-old daughter at Notting Hill Carnival have denied she would have broken up a gang fight with her daughter.

Cher Maximen, 32, had been fighting for her life in hospital after she was knifed while with her young child and other family and friends last Sunday.

Ms Maximen was stabbed in the groin in broad daylight. Early reports suggest she tried to intervene in a fight on Golborne Road shortly before 6pm.

She died in hospital on Saturday morning, the Metropolitan Police confirmed.

Her grieving family issued an emotional tribute through Big Ego Media, saying: “Cher was beautiful inside and out. She has a lot of family and has many friends.

“She was a good mother and protector of family and close friends.”

Dismissing initial reports that suggested the model and clothes designer was trying to break up a fight when she was stabbed, her mother said: “My daughter was not parting any gang fight with a three-year-old.”

Friends have set up a fundraiser for Cher’s only daughter to go towards therapy after she witnessed the fatal stabbing of her mother.

Yasmin Joseph said on a GoFundMe looking to raise £20,000 for the toddler as she “now faces a future without her mother”.

She said: “Cher was enjoying a joyful day out with her beloved three-year-old daughter when her life was cut short in an act of senseless violence.”

This little girl deserves all the love and care we can offer during this incredibly difficult time.

“Cher was not just a mother; she was a shining light in her community, known for her warmth and kindness. Her smile brought joy to many, and her legacy will live on through her daughter. Together, we can help ensure that this young girl has the resources she needs to grow up surrounded by love, support, and opportunities.”

In a separate killing, Mussie Imnetu, 41, a chef who worked under Gordon Ramsay, was found unconscious with a head injury outside the Dr Power restaurant in Queensway at about 11.22pm on Monday.

On Saturday, police said he had also died from his injuries.

Shakiel Thibou, 20, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday charged with the attempted murder of Ms Maximen.

In light of Maximen’s death in the early hours of Saturday, the offence will be reviewed in conjunction with the Crown Prosecution Service.

Mr Thibou is also charged with possessing a knife in a public place and violent disorder.

Shakiel appeared in court alongside his two brothers, Sheldon Thibou, 24, and Shaeim Thibou, 21, who are both charged with violent disorder and assaulting an emergency worker, while Sheldon Thibou faces an additional charge of possessing a stun gun.

Shakiel Thibou, of Masbro Road, Hammersmith, west London, and Sheldon Thibou, of Star Road, Hammersmith, gave no indication of pleas, while Shaeim Thibou, of Charleville Road, Fulham, southwest London, indicated a not guilty plea.

District Judge John Zani denied all three defendants bail and remanded them into custody to next appear together for a hearing at the Old Bailey on 25 September.