Croydon murder: Girl, 15, died after being stabbed ‘in the neck’ with ‘foot-long knife’

A foot-long knife was used to stab a "much-loved" 15-year-old girl in the neck during the morning rush hour, according to a witness. Victor Asare, a security guard, told the PA news agency that after the girl was attacked in Croydon, south London, on Wednesday, blood "ran like water" and bystanders rushed to help.

According to the Metropolitan Police, a 17-year-old teenager who knew the victim has been arrested and remains in custody while a murder investigation is being conducted. 

Mr Asare said: “The blood was coming like water. A lot of people came, everyone came off the bus. (The suspect) 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. I finished work but couldn’t sleep, so I came back, I wanted to see if the girl was OK.”

He said that the girl, who was wearing a green school blazer, looked as if she “didn’t want the boy to come closer” before he stabbed her with a knife that was “black, thin and about a foot long”.

Emergency services were called to Wellesley Road in Croydon at around 8.30am to reports that the girl had been stabbed. Both the land and air ambulance attended but she was pronounced dead at the scene 50 minutes later.

A bus driver and a passer-by were seen desperately trying to save the girl before emergency services arrived, with police at the scene in Wellesley Road in Croydon within two minutes.

A mother of two, who wanted to be named only as Bridget, said: “I was on the bus before and came off and walked back down, I saw them resuscitating her. The driver was holding her, and a lady.

“The emergency services were already here when I walked back.” She said two other schoolgirls, believed to be the victim’s friends, were trying to get back through the police cordon but were held back.

The girl who died was a pupil at Old Palace of John Whitgift School, a private girls’ school in Croydon. The school later paid a tribute to the pupil who they described as "much-loved" and "valued friend and pupil".

Metropolitan Police Chief Superintendent Andy Brittain said: “This is every parent’s worst nightmare, and I know the officers who responded this morning, along with our emergency service 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.”

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he was “absolutely heartbroken” at the news of the girl’s death.

Witnesses or anyone with information can contact police on 101 quoting reference CAD 1601/27Sep, and to remain anonymous can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or online.