Funeral Held for 14-Year-Old Stabbed to Death on Woolwich Bus
Hundreds gather to remember Kelyan Bokassa, who was fatally attacked in January.
More than 100 mourners congregated for the funeral of Kelyan Bokassa, a 14-year-old boy fatally stabbed on a bus in Woolwich on January 7. The funeral service was held at Christ Church in Greenwich at 11am, where attendees came to pay their respects.
Kelyan succumbed to his injuries after being attacked on a Route 472 double-decker bus on Woolwich Church Road shortly before 2:30pm.
In a poignant eulogy, Kelyan's mother remembered him as a 'protector' and a 'loyal friend' who prioritized his friendships and nurtured his relationships.
Rev. John Pout, who officiated the service, remarked on Kelyan's potential, describing him as kind, generous, and sensitive.
'He was known to give away his things to those who had less than him,' he noted.
Floral tributes were placed at the spot where Kelyan was attacked, while attendees included friends who paid homage through song.
Two friends of Kelyan reportedly sang during the service, while some attendees were also friends of Daèjaun Campbell, another teenager who was fatally stabbed nearby.
The circumstances surrounding Kelyan's death included multiple stab wounds resulting in the severing of a femoral artery.
A plea hearing was scheduled for April 14, with a trial provisionally set for October 13 at Bromley Magistrates' Court.
In another case, Kyle Kitchen, 38, was found guilty of murdering his six-year-old daughter, Primrose Kane, after shaking her as a baby.
Evidence presented at the Old Bailey indicated that Primrose endured severe brain injuries due to the assault, which occurred when she was eight weeks old.
She was subsequently placed in the care of her maternal grandmother and passed away on May 17, 2021. Kitchen denied wrongdoing but was convicted after six hours of jury deliberation and is set to be sentenced on April 2.
In a separate incident in south London, a 17-year-old has been charged with the murder of Lathaniel Burrell, a 16-year-old who was shot in Paradise Road, Stockwell, on March 4. The accused is expected to appear at Bromley Youth Court.
Omar Prempeh, 32, has already been charged with the same crime and is slated for arraignment at the Old Bailey.
Family support services are currently available for Lathaniel's relatives.
Further violent crime incidents include Mr. Castillo Volquez, who was fatally attacked during a mass brawl in north London.
His family expressed deep heartbreak over his death and requested community assistance in providing any details about the incident.
Two suspects, Benito Ramirez Kones, 19, and Gabriel Francisco Pineda Gonzalez, 20, face murder charges and are due to stand trial in October.
Amid rising crime rates, newly released figures revealed mobile phone thefts have surged in London, with an alarming rate of nearly one phone stolen every seven-and-a-half minutes.
Data shows a tripling of thefts over the last four years, prompting law enforcement to increase patrols and implement new strategies to combat the growing trend.
Westminster Council has also unveiled plans to improve safety measures for women in central London, including increased CCTV coverage and enhanced lighting to tackle harassment during the night-time economy.