Private schoolgirl, 15, stabbed to death ‘after rejecting boy’s flowers’

A private school pupil was stabbed to death by a teenage boy in south London after she rejected flowers from him, The Telegraph understands.

Witnesses said the 15-year-old girl, named locally as Elianna, was travelling to school in Croydon when a row broke out between herself and her friends and other pupils from a local school.

The argument is said to have spilled out of the number 60 bus and onto the pavement outside a shopping centre, where the schoolgirl was attacked by a young man “wielding a sword-like knife” and “wearing all black” at around 8.30am on Wednesday.

Paramedics rushed to the town centre to treat the teenager, who was described by locals as having “a fantastic future ahead of her”, but she died at the scene.

One girl was seen being held back, screaming: “That’s my best friend” as she tried to push past the crowds to reach the wounded teenager.

Police arrested a 17-year-old boy nearby around 75 minutes after the attack took place. The suspect and the victim are understood to have been known to each other.

Chevanice Thomas, from Croydon, told how her friend Apple witnessed the girl being attacked. Relaying her friend’s account, she said: “He gave her the flowers and she threw them away. Her friends all dispersed when she went down. After that the boy apparently stabbed her, blood gushing out and the police put pressure on it. She died on the spot.”

Staff at the Leonardo Hotel on Wellesley Road, where the incident took place, rushed to the scene. Beldine Kutima, who works there, said: “One of our duty managers went to get the bus, but she came back in screaming and grabbing towels from the back room. She ran out there with bin bags and towels. She was crying and in shock.”

Michael Fyffe, an estate agent who was on his way to work when he saw the aftermath of the attack, said: “Two of the girl’s friends were there. One of the girls was trying to get past the crowds to the body. Everyone was trying to hold her back to let the ambulance crew do their jobs.”

James Watkins, a youth worker, said friends informed the teenager’s family, who were unable to get to their daughter before she died. “They were unable to say goodbye,” he told The Telegraph. “They were in shock and devastated. It doesn’t feel real to them.”

Andrew Brown, the chief executive of the Croydon BME Forum, was called by a colleague who had seen the girl lying on the pavement as he walked to work.

The men were first and second on the scene and began giving CPR on the wounded teenager. Mr Brown then rang her mother, who was on her way to work when she was told what had happened.

He said: “I was speaking to the mum this morning and I was just trying to get her to turn her car around and come back to Croydon.

“Thankfully I didn’t have to tell her that her daughter is dying, but I just told her to take her time to park the car safely and then the police went and got her and brought her down.

“She was just going to work and even though I know there’s issues with the police at the moment and their guns, the police were really really, really good and they looked after mum, the staff and the scene.”

The teenager was a pupil at Old Palace of John Whitgift school, a 134-year-old girls’ school that charges fees of up to £19,350 a year.

Anthony King, from My Ends, an organisation that aims to reduce violence, told The Telegraph he had spoken to her family in the aftermath of the attack.

He said: “The family and extended family are widely devastated, heartbroken. I cannot articulate the sound, the tears and the genuine heartbreak at what took place this morning.

“She had a bright future ahead of her, she was in GCSE year, Year 11, and she was an absolutely incredible young lady, very articulate, really had a fantastic future ahead of her.”

A statement released by Old Palace of John Whitgrift school said staff were “deeply shocked by the senseless and tragic death of our much-loved and valued friend and pupil”.

Devastated pupils were being collected from the school throughout the afternoon, with students given permission to go home early.

Later in the afternoon, Croydon Minster invited distressed locals to gather and pray at the church, just a few minutes away from the school.

Describing what happened as “every parent’s worst nightmare”, Chief Superintendent Andy Brittain, the local policing commander for south London, confirmed that a 17-year-old was being held in custody.

He said: “I know the officers who responded this morning, along with our emergency services colleagues, are devastated at the victim’s death. This is an emotion I share, and I know people across Croydon will be feeling the same.

“The victim’s family has been informed, and our thoughts are with them at what must be an incredibly difficult time.

“We remain in the early stages of our investigation. However, based on what we know so far we believe that we are not looking for anyone else in connection with this offence.”

The teenager is the 16th to be murdered in London so far this year and Sir Mark Rowley, the Met Police Commissioner, said: “The senseless murder of a 15-year-old girl on her way to school is impossible to comprehend.”

Sadiq Khan, the capital’s mayor, said: “I am absolutely heartbroken by the death of a 15-year-old girl in Croydon. My thoughts and prayers are with this young girl’s family and friends, and the whole community, at this unimaginably awful time.”

03:52 PM BST

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03:46 PM BST

Wellesley Road to remain shut for rest of day

03:29 PM BST

Eyewitness - 'We tried to catch suspect'

A man has described how he and others chased a boy after a 15-year-old girl was stabbed to death in Croydon.

Victor Asare was on a bus on the way home from a night shift as a security worker when he said he saw a boy in a black blazer stab a girl in the neck with a knife which was “black, thin and about a foot long”.

The 50-year-old said: “The boy wore a black blazer, the girl wore green. It looked like the girl didn’t want the boy to come closer.”

He then described the boy stabbing the girl in the neck with a black knife.

“The blood was coming like water,” he added.

“A lot of people came, everyone came off the bus. [The boy] ran away. Everybody was crying and screaming. The girl was on the floor.

“We tried to catch him and a lot of people tried to save the girl. I was so shocked, I was shaken. It’s somebody’s daughter.”

03:06 PM BST

The teenagers killed this year in London

02:59 PM BST

Croydon Minster invites residents to pay their respects

Croydon Minster has invited residents to pay their respects to the 15-year-old stab victim killed earlier on Wednesday.

In a Facebook post, it wrote: “Following the tragic news that a pupil at Old Palace School died in the incident on Wellesley Road this morning, Croydon Minster is open until 6pm today for anyone who would like to pay their respects, light a candle, or sit in quiet.

“The Clergy are around if anyone would like to talk. We pray for the pupil, her parents, family, and friends, and for peace in our town and borough.”

02:39 PM BST

Press conference comments - 'Community feeling hurt right now'

Here are the comments from a press conference held by the Metropolitan Police in Croydon. Donna Murray-Turner, Sarah Jones and Jason Perry all spoke along with Chief Superintendent Andy Brittain.

Donna Murray-Turner, chairwoman of the local Safer Neighbourhood Board

Croydon MP Sarah Jones

Croydon mayor Jason Perry

02:20 PM BST

Pictures: Flowers at the scene

Flowers at the scene in Croydon where the schoolgirl was stabbed to death.

02:13 PM BST

Chief Superintendent Andy Brittain - 'This is every parent's worst nightmare'

The press conference has now finished.

Chief Superintendent Andy Brittain said the victim’s family have been informed and that the boy was arrested within 75 minutes of the stabbing.

He says initial investigations show the suspect may have known the victim.

He was joined by Croydon resident and safer neighbourhood chair Donna Murray-Turner, Labour MP for Croydon Sarah Jones and Croydon Mayor Jason Perry.

02:07 PM BST

Boy, 17, arrested in New Addington

Police confirm a 17-year-old boy was arrested in New Addington and remains in custody.

Chief Superintendent Andy Brittain says no-one else is being sought in connection with the stabbing.

Chief Supt Brittain adds force is not yet able to identify the 15-year-old victim.

02:05 PM BST

Police press conference

A Metropolitan Police press conference is under way in Croydon.

01:52 PM BST

Youth worker - Victim's friends 'in shock and devastated'

Friends of the girl who was stabbed were the ones who first alerted her parents that their daughter had died, Ewan Somerville reports.

James Watkins, a youth worker at Mainzworld which acts as a family liaison in these situations, said the family “got here after” their daughter had died, between 9am and 10am

“They we’re unable to say goodbye,” he told The Telegraph.

Mr Watkins spoke to and supported the victim’s family when they visited the scene shortly after their daughter died.

“They were in shock and devastated, it doesn’t feel real to them. They said a lot of things - it was shock and disbelief.”

01:48 PM BST

Old Palace of John Whitgift School pay tribute to 'much-loved' pupil

Old Palace of John Whitgift School have now released a statement confirming the 15-year-old victim was a pupil.

01:28 PM BST

Map: Where fatal stabbing took place

01:08 PM BST

Private schoolgirl, 15, stabbed to death after row with pupil from another school

A teenage girl from a leading private school was stabbed to death after an argument with a pupil from another school, The Telegraph understands.

The 15-year-old, who has not been named, was attacked outside a shopping centre on Wellesley Road, a major road running through Croydon town centre, at around 8.30am on Wednesday.

The Telegraph understands that the girl was a pupil at Old Palace of John Whitgift school, a 134-year-old girls’ school close by.

Eyewitnesses at the scene claimed an argument erupted on a bus between the girl, her friends and pupils from another local school, which then spilled over onto the pavement.

According to one eyewitness, the girl was stabbed after rejecting flowers that were given to her.

11:57 AM BST

Sadiq Khan says he's 'absolutely heartbroken' by schoolgirl's death

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “I am absolutely heartbroken by the death of a 15-year-old girl in Croydon this morning.

“My thoughts and prayers are with this young girl’s family and friends, and the whole community, at this unimaginably awful time.

“An arrest has been made in connection with this incident and I am in close contact with the Met Commissioner.

“I urge anyone with any further information to call the police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously. I promise to continue working day and night to end the scourge of knife crime in our city.”

11:42 AM BST

Locals laying flowers at the scene

Police spoke to guests having breakfast in the Leonardo Hotel near the scene of the stabbing in Wellesley Road, Ewan Somerville reports.

Officers asked receptionists and those sat in the lobby what they saw, but many were only aware after police cars flocked to the scene.

A crowd of locals have gathered at the scene and some are laying flowers.

One man claimed he had bumped into a group of schoolchildren wearing green blazers in the aftermath of the attack, who claimed there was an argument on the bus between two groups of boys that turned violent.

11:23 AM BST

Hotel manager tried to save stab victim

A hotel manager rushed to the aid of a 15-year-old girl who was stabbed to death in Croydon, Ewan Somerville reports.

The duty manager of Leonardo Hotel on Wellesley Road was leaving her shift to get the bus when she first saw the girl fighting for her life and losing lots of blood.

The woman, named Malaika, ran back into the hotel while screaming “a girl has just been stabbed” and told her colleagues to give her towels and bin bags immediately to help, making her one of the first people on the scene.

Beldine Kutima, who works at the hotel, told The Telegraph: “One of our duty managers went to get the bus but she came back in screaming and grabbing towels from the back room.

“She ran out there with bin bags and towels. She was crying and in shock - she needed painkillers after.”

11:13 AM BST

Croydon Mayor releases statement

Mayor of Croydon Jason Perry said in a statement on Facebook: “I am devastated to hear that the teenage girl who was stabbed in the town centre this morning has tragically died.

“The Council are in touch with the police and will fully support their investigations. Our whole community’s thoughts will be with the victim’s family and friends.

“A suspect, who is believed to have known the victim, has been located and arrested by local police officers, and I would like to thank all those who responded so quickly and professionally to the incident.

“I urge anyone with information about the incident to contact the police on 101 or report anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

11:11 AM BST

Pictured: Police on the scene in Croydon

Pictures have emerged of police at the scene in Croydon where a girl was fatally stabbed on Wednesday.

10:44 AM BST

Ambulance statement

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called today (27 September) at 8:33am to reports of an incident on Wellesley Road, Croydon.

“We sent a number of resources to the scene, including three ambulance crews, an incident response officer, and an advanced paramedic in a car. We also dispatched London’s Air Ambulance.

“We treated a teenager, but very sadly, despite our best efforts, she died at the scene.”

10:42 AM BST

Detectives confirm an arrest has been made

Detectives confirmed a man has been arrested in connection with the stabbing.

Chief Superintendent Andy Brittain said: “Our immediate thoughts are with this young girl’s family who are facing the most tragic of news. Our officers are with the girl’s family to support them.

“I am in contact with the local community, who are clearly as concerned as we are about this tragic incident. I shall continue to update them throughout the day.

“My officers were immediately on scene to provide first aid and support paramedics.

“Acting on information provided to them, officers also worked closely with colleagues from across the Met and the British Transport Police to track a teenager in connection with the stabbing. I can confirm that an arrest was made at about 09:45hrs in the Croydon area. At this early stage we believe that he may have known her.

“A crime scene will be in place for some time, and I am grateful for the cooperation of residents.”

10:37 AM BST

Schoolgirl fatally stabbed in Croydon

A 15-year-old schoolgirl has been fatally stabbed in Croydon.

Police were called to reports of an attack near the Whitgift shopping centre on Wednesday. Footage taken at the scene shows multiple police cars and ambulances at a cordon on Wellesley Road.