An aspiring footballer who was stabbed to death in east London has been named as 15-year-old Baptista Adjei. The young ‘popular’ boy was fatally knifed in his school uniform outside McDonald’s, in Stratford Broadway, at 3.20pm on Thursday.
Paramedics desperately tried to keep the teenager alive, who witnesses saw collapsed in a pool of blood, but he was pronounced dead at the scene just half an hour later. Police believe Baptista, who was described by family as a ‘nice boy’, was either attacked while on the bus or shortly after he got off.
His 15-year-old school friend was also rushed to hospital with stab wounds, where he remains with non-life-threatening injuries. The talented footballer, who was wearing the uniform of Catholic boys’ school St Bonaventure’s, in Forest Gate, when he was attacked, had recently tried out for League One team Ipswich Town. Baptista, who was described as an affectionate boy who ‘would always make you laugh’, had phoned his mother Josephine to say he was on his way home just 20 minutes before he was fatally knifed.
His mum had offered to pick him up from school due to the delays on the DLR route amid Extinction Rebellion protests. But he said he would catch the bus after school instead, as he wanted to go to McDonald’s with a friend.
His aunt Aretha Adjei said Baptista’s heartbroken mum ‘keeps saying how she should have gone and picked him up’. She told the Evening Standard: ‘His mother is not coping well. She only has two children. You can’t imagine her pain… ‘He was a fun-loving boy, very popular with everyone in church, everyone in the street knew him. He would come and put his arms around you. He would always make you laugh. ‘No one could say a bad word about him, he would never join a gang or a group. That’s not him.’
In a related news,
A 15-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of stabbing a schoolboy to death outside a shopping centre in broad daylight, the Metropolitan police have said.
The 15-year-old boy handed himself at an east London police station and was arrested on suspicion of murder. He remains in custody.
Police were called on Thursday, 10 October at 15:20hrs to reports of a male found stabbed outside Stratford Broadway near Tramway Avenue.
Officers attended along with the London Ambulance Service and the teenager was found with critical injuries. He died at the scene at 15:49 hours.
His next of kin have been informed. The victim has been named as Baptista Adjei, 15, (26.2.04) from North Woolwich.
Formal identification awaits and a post-mortem examination will be held in due course.
A second teenager, aged 15, was found with stab injuries and he has been taken to an east London hospital. His injuries are not life threatening.
No arrests have been made. Enquiries are ongoing. A crime scene remains in place.
Homicide detectives from Specialist Crime have been informed and will be leading the investigation.
DCI Chris Soole, who is leading the investigation said:
“First and foremost are thoughts are with this young man’s family and friends. They so tragically are having to come to terms with this terrible loss of life. “Were you there? Did you see anything? This is a very busy area and lots of people would have been out on the school-run or making their way home. We know that the victim’s friends came to his aid and members of the public provided first aid at the scene. We need anyone else who has information and has not yet spoken to police to come forward.
“A Section 60 is in place for the whole of Newham borough as a result of this incident. Enquiries, including review of local CCTV footage and forensic analysis is in hand. We are working quickly to build a clear and full picture of precisely what unfolded. If you have information, do the right thing and get in touch.” Anyone who can assist police is asked to call 101 quoting CAD 4644/10OCT19. Alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. You can also tweet information to @MetCC
