Christian Family Mourns Teen Girl Murdered in Croydon: The Christian family of a year 11 pupil at Old Palace of John Whitgift School, in Croydon who was murdered on her way to school has issued a statement mourning the teen girl “who loved Jesus”
Elianne Andam was fatally stabbed by a 17-year-old boy after getting off a double-decker bus in Croydon, south London at around 8.30 am on Wednesday, with members of the public rushing to try to save her.
On Thursday, her family paid tribute to her in a statement through police. They said their hearts had been “broken” by her “senseless death”.
“We as a family are struggling to comprehend this painful tragedy that has happened to our beautiful daughter and beloved sister Elianne,” the statement read.
“Elianne was a beautiful woman inside and out who loved Jesus. She was intelligent, thoughtful, and kind and had a bright future ahead of her.”
In an earlier statement, they said: “Elianne was the light of our lives. She was bright and funny, with many friends who all adored her.
“She was only 15, and had her whole life ahead of her, with hopes and dreams for the future.
“All those dreams have now been shattered. Our lives have fallen apart, along with that of our wider family.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said it was “absolutely shocking” that “a girl not much older than my own kids would have their life just cruelly ended in that way.”
Head of youth work at the anti-youth crime organization XLP Jerome Hughes has asked churches to go “outside because he thinks they can do a lot to give the love and support that young people in the neighborhood need.
“I think sometimes we believe that it’s that charities responsibility and it’s their problem, but I think is a community issue,” Hughes told Premier.”And I think the church really needs to get outside in a lot of ways. Kids just want to be loved. These young people just want to be supported and known that they’re cared for, and these charities and organisations can’t do it all.”