‘Kind’ schoolboy, 12, was ‘minutes from safety’ when he was stabbed to death – as parents share heartbreaking pictures
‘Kind’ schoolboy, 12, was ‘minutes from safety’ when he was stabbed to death – as parents share heartbreaking pictures
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TRAGIC Leo Ross was "minutes from safety" when he was fatally stabbed, his adoptive family revealed. The 12-year-old was found with a stab wound to the stomach on the banks of the River Cole in Hall Green, Birmingham, on January 21. Ishtiaq Shah, whose partner Janet was the boys legal guardian, paid a heartbreaking tribute.
![[Boy on a bumper boat.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/tragic-leo-ross-minutes-safety-966300582.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Today he said the family had "another difficult and haunting night" as they came to terms with Leo's death. Leo was remembered as a "kind, bright and talented boy" and images of the child were shared online. Heartbreaking photos show Leo celebrating a birthday, in his school uniform and enjoying a pedalo ride.
![[Boy looking at a birthday cake with lit candles.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/tragic-leo-ross-minutes-safety-966300574.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Ishtiaq said: "We desperately want Leo to come home from school, he was just minutes away from safety, but we know he never will. "He was a big brother to our two young children, so patient and loving to them. "They were/are obsessed with him and will miss him.".
![[Map showing the route a 12-year-old boy walked home from school before he was stabbed to death.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KH_22_01_KNIFE_HORROR-v2_4ec6b1.webp?strip=all&w=836)
Ishtiaq launched a fundraising campaign to raise money for the Daniel Baird Foundation, an anti-knife charity. He added: "It was lovely to see the notifications received during the night of how many more of you that have donated. "We are extremely grateful that you share our determination to prevent this from happening again.
![[Photo of Leo Ross.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/tragic-leo-ross-minutes-safety-966300579.png?strip=all&w=660)
"If we can help deter one child from carrying a knife, if we can train one person, if we can stop one bleed and save one person from such a fatality, we will feel our little genius Leo made that happen, his death will have saved a life.". Almost £6,000 has been raised for the charity, which provides products to help stem bleeding from stab wounds.
![[Floral tributes and candles at a crime scene.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2025-boy-arrested-suspicion-murder-965997611.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
