Mother of 14-year-old stabbed to death on London bus 'not surprised' he was killed
Share:
The mother of a 14-year-old boy who was stabbed to death on a bus in southeast London has said she is not surprised he was killed. Aspiring rapper Kelyan Bokassa was stabbed to death on a bus in Woolwich Church Street, close to the Woolwich Ferry, just before 2.30pm on Tuesday.
His mother Mary Bokassa said he had been groomed by gangs from the age of six. She told the BBC her boy was "caring" but had experienced some "extremely challenging times" and had been taken into care for several years. Ms Bokassa said he was "underweight, very hungry, tattooed and exposed to drugs".
But she added they had spent Christmas together and he had returned to school. She said she had asked for help and tried to stop him from associating with gangs but did not receive support from the authorities, so he "still had one foot on the streets".
Ms Bokassa told the broadcaster she was traumatised and shocked by her son's death, but not surprised: "I feel hurt because I tried to prevent it. I've tried so many, so many times. I screamed it, I said 'my son is going to be killed'.". Around 40 mourners gathered at a vigil on Wednesday evening at St Mary Magdalene Church, which overlooks the bus stop where Kelyan died.
One of Kelyan's friends paid tribute to him during the service, saying he would "always be there for you". "He was a fun guy. He had a pure heart. He would always be there for you," the teenage boy said. He joked about Kelyan eating "bare food". Read more:'Truly apocalyptic scenes' as flames swallow homes in LA wildfiresWeather warnings with temperatures as low as -16C expectedLiam Payne's cause of death confirmed.
