Updated 19.46 | Published 19.28
unsaveSave
MALMÖ. 14-year-old Emilia Sjöberg was buried today.
Aftonbladet followed the entire ceremony, invited to the chapel by the family.
ⓘ The summary is made with the support of AI tools from OpenAI and quality assured by Aftonbladet. Read our AI policy here.
Show more
chevron-down
In the middle of the chapel stands a white coffin.
A candle burns in every corner.
At the foot of the coffin is a large picture of 14-year-old Emilia. She has transparent wings.
While relatives and friends take their seats in the chapel, rap music pours out of a speaker:
“They can take my money from me but never my love for you. Never ever the love for you”
It’s a text from one of the rappers that Emilia loved. And it is with song and joy that Emilia’s mother wants her daughter to be honored on this day.
Therefore, everyone has been asked to dress in bright clothes.
expand-left
full screenDuring the ceremony, a recording was played where Emilia herself sings a song she wrote, “Vingar av glas”. Photo: Krister Hansson
But the joy cannot displace all the sadness that is in the air.
From time to time sobs are heard and several people are red in the face from tension
– We are here to say goodbye to a beloved daughter, relative and friend. It is important that we remember the love and joy that she gave during her time on earth, says the female officiant.
expand-left
full screenEmilia’s mother says a final goodbye. Photo: Krister Hansson
She especially addresses all the young people and children sitting in the chapel. And explains that it is completely natural to feel emotions. Perhaps several of them have never been to a funeral before.
– It is completely natural to feel insecure, sad and maybe a little scared, she says.
Emilia sings herself
After that, the chapel is filled with a young girl’s bright voice – accompanied by a piano. It is a recording where Emilia herself sings a song she wrote.
The song is called “Wings of Glass”:
Wipe those tears from your cheek. I want to know more about him that I didn’t know. Things he does that are crazy…
She has wings made of glass…
expand-left
full screenEmilia turned 14. Today she was buried in St. Knut’s chapel in Malmö. Photo: Krister Hansson
The waiter then reads out a text from Emilia’s mother. She talks about a deep love and how her daughter was so incredibly caring.
– Now who will move all the snails from the pavement so that no one steps on them? You were the light of my life, says the officiant.
Several friends of Emilia have also written texts.
One of them, a girl in a blazer with dark well-combed hair and a gold bracelet on her wrist, wants to read herself. She says Emilia was more than a friend – she was like a little sister. Then the voice no longer carries. The girl cries heartbreakingly and asks the officiant to take over.
Also present at the ceremony are several teachers from Krika village school, where Emilia went when she was little. They perform a song. When they sing the text line “Whatever you see and whatever you walk – we can probably understand that you will dance in the blue” several of Emilia’s friends cry.
A teacher then gives a speech with tears in his eyes. There is a graduation she will never forget. Then Emilia had drawn a drawing for everyone at school. Each drawing had a personal greeting.
– It shows how much she cared about us, says the teacher.
expand-left
full screenMany chose to write a final greeting to Emilia on the coffin. Photo: Krister Hansson / Krister Hansson Aftonbladet
Check it out guys
The ceremony ends with those who wish to write a final greeting on the coffin. A couple of black markers are passed around and soon the white coffin is filled with loving messages. Several messages testify that it is a teenage girl who is to be buried.
A friend of Emilia sends a request to heaven. She writes:
“Rest in peace. Don’t forget to check out the guys”
expand-left
full screen Several of the invitees were dressed in bright clothes during the funeral. Photo: Krister Hansson
When it is time for the last journey, six relatives and friends stand up and walk to the coffin. They then carry it out to a car outside.
Relatives of Emilia bring out a speaker which is placed on the roof of the car. The idea is for the funeral procession to dance after the car.
After a small mishap – where first a short commercial is played – a pop song comes out of the speakers. It’s Meghan Trainor’s song “I feel better when I am dancing.”
expand-left
full screen
chevron-rightnext
The funeral procession danced after the hearse on the way to the cemetery.
1 / 2Photo: Krister Hansson
A handful of relatives dance as the car rolls up to the funeral site. Some face breaks into a small smile. Others wipe away tears and then dance on.
– Emilia would always dance. When we went for walks in the evenings, she put on music and we danced. If it was far, we danced there, says Emilia’s mother, Anna Sjöberg.
expand-left
full screen
chevron-rightnext
Relatives and friends carry Emilia’s coffin.
1 / 2Photo: Krister Hansson
When the entourage arrives and Emilia’s coffin is lowered into the grave, the officiant urges everyone not to throw flowers in the grave.
– Emilia had a strong pollen allergy. So we put the flowers next to it.
The solution is instead that the flowers are placed on the grave next to it. Emilia’s grandfather is there.
When all the flowers are laid and people start trickling out, Emilia’s mother breaks down.
– She doesn’t want to be there. She wants to get out of there, the mother insists. She is embraced by several friends.
expand-left
full screenEmilia’s mother is hugged at the funeral. Photo: Krister Hansson
Child suspected of murder
It was on the night of Tuesday 23 July that a police patrol found 14-year-old Emilia lifeless in an industrial area in Landskrona.
They made resuscitation attempts but the girl’s life could not be saved.
The police suspect that Emilia has been murdered. Two minor girls are suspected of the crime.
It is partly a girl under the age of 15 and partly a 15-year-old girl. The 15-year-old has been detained at Lund district court. On Wednesday, the prosecutor, Pernilla Nilsson, said that the suspicions against the 15-year-old remain.
– I will request a new extension of the prosecution time on Friday, said Pernilla Nilsson, prosecutor.
In addition to the two minor girls, an adult is also suspected of grossly protecting a criminal.
Aftonbladet was invited, as the only news media, to the ceremony in St. Knut’s chapel in Malmö, when Emilia Sjöberg was to be buried. The newspaper’s team had received a personal invitation from Emilia’s mother, Anna Sjöberg.