Full heartbreaking tribute to murdered Wakefield mum Carolann Barraclough - as family ‘shattered’ by killing
“Our family has been completely shattered by the senseless and violent way Carolann was taken from us.” 💔
The family of a murdered Wakefield mum-of-three have paid to their ‘bright light’ after her killer was jailed.
Carolann Barraclough was killed by her husband David in their Horbury house on Ken Churchill Drive in February this year. He attacked her with a hammer before stashing her body in a freezer.
Barraclough had originally pleaded not guilty to his wife’s murder but changed his plea before the jury was sworn in. He was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 22 years today (October 9).
Following the sentencing, a heartbreaking statement from Carolann’s family has been released. It reveals that they have suffered further tragedy following the death of her dad in September.
The tribute reads: “Our family has been completely shattered by the senseless and violent way Carolann was taken from us.
“Before her life was tragically cut short, Carolann, or Caz as we knew her, was the bright light of our family. She was always smiling and her joy was infectious.
“She genuinely loved being around people and thrived in the company of her family and friends. She brought energy, laughter and warmth to every gathering she attended.
“Above all, Caz had a massive heart and was always ready to help others, no matter the time or sacrifice involved.”
Her family continued: “Her children were the centre of her world. She loved being a mum and the void left by her absence is agonising.
“In the period before her death, barriers were created which increasingly separated Caz from the people who loved her.
“Looking back and seeing how isolated she had become from family and close friends is incredibly painful. We were robbed of precious time with her before she was taken from us for good.”
The statement added: “The greatest impact is on her three children, who have lost not only their mum but the person who should have been there to love and guide them as they grew up. They have been forced to face a future and important milestones without her.
“They have already had to cope with experiences no child should have to face. We do not want the details of their trauma to define them publicly. What matters now is that they are given the privacy, security and support they need to rebuild their lives and to simply be children.
“We are doing everything we can as a family to love, protect and support them, but we know that nobody can ever replace their mum.
“As a family, we are helping them understand that home can mean safety, that adults can be trusted and that family means love, laughter, affection, birthdays, Christmases, days out and all those ordinary moments together which are so precious.
“We want them to grow up knowing they are surrounded by people who love them and will always be there for them.”
The tribute continued: “Our grief was compounded on 17 September 2026 when our father, David Rowley, died after suffering a heart attack. He had endured enormous grief and stress following the loss of his daughter and throughout the court proceedings.
“Losing both Caz and our father has brought unimaginable pain to our family. None of what has happened will ever make sense to us.
“The circumstances in which Caz died have caused profound grief, distress and anxiety throughout our family, and we struggle every day with the reality that she is no longer here.
“No verdict, sentence or passage of time can bring Caz back. Nothing can give her children back the years and memories they should have shared with their mum.
“Carolann was a vital and irreplaceable part of our family. We will remember her for her warmth, her laughter, her love for people and, above everything else, the love she had for her children.
“The world is a much darker place without her. This evil crime has had an immense and lifelong impact on our family.”