A 17-year-old boy appeared in court charged with the murder of 15-year-old Elianne Andam, who was stabbed to death on her way to school in south London.
The boy, who’s also been charged with having a knife, appeared before Croydon Magistrates’ Court and was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on October 3.
Elianne Andam was wounded in the neck after getting off a bus in Wellesley Road, Croydon, at about 8.30 a.m. on Wednesday.
The 17-year-old suspect was arrested in New Addington just over an hour later.
Elianne’s family visited the scene where she died as crowds assembled outside the police cordon and prayers were said.
She’s been described by her family as the ‘light of their lives’. They said she was ‘bright and funny’ and ‘had her whole life ahead of her’.
Elianne’s heartbroken mother broke down in tears as she laid flowers at the place where her daughter died.
Dorcas Andam was comforted by her husband Michael and dozens of relatives as they paid their respects to aspiring lawyer Elianne, 15.
It’s claimed the keen gymnast and cheerleader died as she stepped in to defend her friend who was attacked as she got off a bus in Croydon, south London, at 8.30 am on Wednesday.
Elianne was on her way to lessons at Old Palace of John Whitgift private school when she was killed, leaving her loved ones devastated.
Thirty relatives held a vigil at the city bus centre bus stop where she died, laying flowers as they comforted one another.
Bishop of Croydon, Rosemarie Mallet, read a powerful family statement alongside Elianne’s aunt Marian.
‘We, as a family are struggling to comprehend this painful tragedy that has happened to our beautiful daughter and beloved sister Elianne,’ she said. ‘Our hearts are broken. We are overwhelmed by sorrow and grief but our faith in the Lord is strengthening us.’
The statement described Elianne as ‘a beautiful person inside and out’ who was ‘intelligent, thoughtful, kind and had a bright future ahead of her’.
Hours before they’d told how their ‘lives had fallen apart’ while Elianne’s dreams of becoming a lawyer ‘had been shattered’.
The GCSE student’s senseless stabbing has shaken the nation with Rishi Sunak saying he was appalled.
Elianne had a six-year-old brother who she helped look after. Family friend Adama Dumbuya, 30, said that she couldn’t imagine what he was going to be like. That Elianne had a little brother and she knew they were close. She always looked after him and he was going to be heartbroken.
This boy should be named. He had a knife on him and he planned to do harm that day, and now Elianne paid the price, this is so sad and he needs to be put in prison for an extremely long time.
THE MONTHLY MOSQUITO 