Eleven weeks since her son's alleged murder, a sense of disbelief lingers for Sydney mother Rachel Galleghan.
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"I'm still coming to terms with the fact that I will never see my precious son again - that his life was taken at the age of 16," she said.
Ms Galleghan spoke publicly on Tuesday as police appealed for help in their investigation into Jason Galleghan's death on August 4.
The Sydney teen - described by his mum as kind, gentle and happy - was fatally beaten in a Doonside home.
It seemed he was drawn to the home over a "fairly minor disagreement", local police commander Superintendent Steve Egginton said.
"It's apparent that was for the purposes of actually assaulting him," he told reporters.
While two 13-year-old boys and four other teens have been charged with murder, police on Tuesday released CCTV images of two men seen in the vicinity of the home the afternoon of Jason's alleged murder.
One was seen carrying a drink bottle, while the other had a black, red and blue item in his hand.
"These two individuals are likely to be able to provide us with some really valuable information (about) the circumstance that led up to, during and after the tragic murder of Jason," Supt Egginton said.
Detectives were also keen to speak to a third man captured on CCTV that was released on October 8.
The six teens charged with murder also face charges of kidnapping occasioning bodily harm and intentionally causing grievous bodily harm.
Only one of the accused murderers is over the age of 18: Doonside woman Kayla Dawson, 19.
A Werrington man, 29, has also been charged with being an accessory after the fact.
Since Jason's death, the local community has held candlelight vigils and donated more than $50,000 to a fund to support the Galleghan family.
"I am so incredibly grateful to have received so much support from the community during such a terrible time where my son's life was taken ... in the most horrific way," Ms Galleghan said.
She also thanked her family and police for their support.
"Jason was such an amazing brother to his younger sisters, he had a very gentle, fun, playful side - always making them laugh," Ms Galleghan said.
"I was so proud of the young man Jason was. I couldn't have asked for more in a son. It's just so utterly devastating and heartbreaking that his future was taken away from him far too soon."
Australian Associated Press
