The mother of construction site accident victim Jean Paul Sofia has hit back at cruel comments on social media attacking her as she campaigns for justice for her 20-year-old son.

There was an outpouring of support for the grieving mother after she was faced with insulting comments recently posted on Facebook. 

Among the comments, someone in poor Maltese wrote: "Had you loved your son, at that age you would have sent him to school, not working in construction."

Another added: "I think that had you given him a proper education he would have avoided this, poor chap."

Isabelle Bonnici, in front of her son's bedroom, which she cannot bear to enter. Photo: Karl Andrew Micallef

Jean Paul was killed when the factory collapsed whilst under construction at the Corradino industrial estate. His mother has led calls for a public inquiry into the incident that took place on government land.

'Ignorance'

Reacting to the comments, the campaigning mother replied: "Are these people serious? Those who knew JP (Jean Paul) knew how intelligent he was and how he stayed in school up to his A-levels. He was following a course for a private pilot's licence. We sent him to a secondary church school and always worked hard for him.

"Friends drew him to that activity, and he was happy. Tell me, what more could we have done?  And in any case, no job makes anyone inferior and EVERYONE deserves protection. 

"Those who know me know what a mother I was and remain. Those who want to think otherwise, it's up to them. I have a clear conscience and I am proud that he used to say he had the best mum he could have.

"As to whoever has commented,  I hope he is an exemplary parent who can say what I have said about my son. His children might not be as proud of him as my son was of me, when they see this ignorance!"

Jean Paul Sofia died in a construction site collapse in December. Photo: Family handout/Facebook

She told Times of Malta that she could not expect any better from some people, who often used fake profiles.

"But I am eternally grateful for the vast majority of people who support me," she said.  

In an interview with Times of Malta earlier this month she described how her son's death had transformed her from a quiet woman to one who is determined to campaign for justice for the rest of her life, if necessary.

She has confronted politicians outside parliament and earlier this week, strung up a banner on the railings of police headquarters that read: 'Who are you protecting?'

Here battle for the government to appoint an independent public inquiry into the death of her son has been rebuffed, with the prime minister saying a magisterial inquiry is enough. 

She strung up the banner outside police headquarters on Wednesday afternoon and told those present that she was launching a fund-raising campaign to continue her efforts for a public inquiry and for the full truth of what had happened to emerge. 

"I want to remind the police commissioner and the government that justice has not been served for Jean Paul. The guilty ones are still free and we are serving a life sentence," she said.

She insisted she would continue to call for a public inquiry for the truth to come out. "I also want to see more effective laws. My son must not have died in vain."