10 Jun Why Mina Smallman made Two Daughters documentary: ‘This is what a mother’s grief looks like’
The mother of murdered daughters reached out to mingle2 ervaringen BBC presenter, Stacey Dooley, to tell the story of the aftermath of Bibaa and Nicole's deaths in
Cameras roll as she wipes away tears while describing the toll taken by the murders of her daughters Bibaa Henry, 46, and Nicole Smallman, 27, in a satanic sacrifice by deluded Danyal Hussein, a botched Metropolitan Police missing-person's enquiry and two officers sharing images of the sisters' bodies on WhatsApp.
The emeritus archdeacon of Southend, known as Mina, reached out to BBC documentary reporter and presenter, Stacey Dooley, to tell the story of the aftermath of Bibaa and Nicole's deaths.
Stacey spent 18 months filming with Mina and her husband, Chris, who is Nicole's father. She takes audiences behind the headlines and we watch as Mina reels from Met failings and leans into a new role as an activist.
“I wanted my girls to be remembered for the lives they lived, not how they died. I found it [filming] surprisingly easy and I think that has a lot to do with the group of people who took on the project.
“We worked on it for 18 months. I've been very involved. I'm easy to work with but you need to be able to answer my questions. I told them I wouldn't get involved in the editing.”
The hour-long programme captures quiet reflections at the couple's home in Ramsgate, Kent, and explores Mina's relationship with her faith – how she confronts and seeks comfort from it.
“This has been an eye-opening journey for me. This isn't my world,” Mina, 65, says when we meet in a private dining room at a central London hotel after a screening of the film. Chris sits beside her and prefers to listen, occasionally contributing observations.
Why Mina Smallman made Two Daughters documentary: ‘This is what a mother's grief looks like'
“I wanted to show up the people who let us down, the people who were paid to do a job.