Stratford stabbing: Second teenager charged in connection with murder of schoolboy outside shopping centre

A second teenager has been charged in connection with the fatal stabbing of a 15-year-old schoolboy outside a shopping centre in east London.

Baptista Adjei was stabbed to death outside Stratford Shopping Centre after getting off a bus on Thursday at around 3pm.

Friends and passers-by battled to save the teenager outside McDonald's in Stratford Broadway before the London Ambulance took over.

Despite their best efforts, Baptista was pronounced dead at the scene at 3.49pm.

Scotland Yard has now said a second teenager has been charged in connection with the stabbing.

A 15-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with conspiracy to murder and he will appear at Stratford Youth Court today.

Speaking to the Standard last week, Baptista's aunt, Aretha Adjei, said her nephew was a "fun-loving boy", who would "always make you laugh".

"He was a nice boy, the fact that he died in his school uniform is horrific," she added.

"He had just finished school. He spoke to his mum on the phone about coming home after popping into McDonald's with a friend. Twenty minutes later he was stabbed to death.

"His mother is not coping well. She only has two children. You can't imagine her pain. She keeps saying how she should have gone and picked him up.

"He was a fun-loving boy, very popular with everyone in church, everyone in the street knew him. He would come and put his arms around you. He would always make you laugh.

"No-one could say a bad word about him, he would never join a gang or a group. That's not him."

The teenager's former football team, Mindset FC, tweeted that Baptista was a "very humble boy, with great manners and very talented".

It added: "Dark moment at Mindset as one of our former players from the U16s last season went to sleep today at Stratford due to knife crime.

"All of us at Mindset have the family in our thoughts and prayers. RIP Bap."

A 16-year-old boy was previously arrested in connection with the incident on Tuesday has been bailed pending further enquiries to a date in mid-November.

Another 15-year-old boy, who can also not be named, was also charged on Saturday, with murder, grievous bodily harm with intent in relation to another 15-year-old victim and two counts of possession of an offensive weapon.

Read more

Teen charged with murder after schoolboy stabbed to death in Stratford