Denzel Rhobi had just gotten off the plane and was checking messages on his phone when he received a call from his sister. His sister brought the worst possible news: his beloved cousin Elianne had been stabbed to death. Rhobi recalled, "I picked up the phone and my sister told me Elianne had passed away. I remember just freezing, and my wife and I just stood there crying." This unexpected news deeply saddened him and his wife.
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03-14, 2025Just minutes before, he had seen a news report that an unidentified 15-year-old girl had been stabbed to death on her way to school in Croydon, South London. "I remember stopping and really feeling for that family, knowing that they must be in so much pain." But as it turned out, that family was his own. This coincidence highlighted the pervasive nature of violence.
As a senior pastor at the West Croydon Baptist Church, Pastor Rhobi is acutely aware of the fear of knife crime felt by many in the area. However, the fact that his young cousin was repeatedly stabbed to death outside the Westfield shopping center, in front of other children, shoppers, and commuters, was still hard to fathom. Born into a large and loving family, Pastor Rhobi told me that Elianne was a "miracle baby" his aunt and uncle had after trying for many years. The circumstances surrounding her death were particularly shocking.
"I always wanted a little sister," he said with a smile. "I used to look after her, take her to school, and pick her up when her parents were at work. She was so happy, so funny, so mischievous. She was just a bundle of joy." They were closely bonded by their shared love of music and their Christian faith. Pastor Rhobi said Elianne loved to sing and dance and dreamed of becoming a human rights lawyer. Her aspirations and vibrant personality made her loss even more tragic.
Elianne attended Old Palace of John Whitgift School, a selective girls' school, and her teachers remember her as an artistically gifted and creative student who was fiercely loyal to her close friends. "They were inseparable," explained Hasha Evangelidi, who taught the teenager art. "They could lean on each other and support each other." Michelle Smith, head of pastoral care, told me that the last time she saw Elianne was on Tuesday afternoon when she left the classroom. "The last thing she ever said to me was, 'Thank you, Mrs. Smith.'" These memories paint a picture of a well-loved and promising young woman.
The next morning, Wednesday, September 27, 2023, Elianne was repeatedly stabbed with a kitchen knife by 17-year-old Hassan Sentamu, the ex-boyfriend of one of her friends. Sentamu admitted to killing Elianne and has been sentenced to at least 23 years in prison after a jury rejected his defense of diminished responsibility due to autism. The brutality of the crime and the rejection of his defense underscored the severity of his actions.
Jurors learned that Elianne had agreed to meet Sentamu with her friend and two other friends before school so that the former couple could exchange their belongings, which included a teddy bear. But when Sentamu arrived empty-handed, Elianne, worried that they would be late for school and eager to stand up for her friend, grabbed back the bag she had handed to Sentamu. Her act of friendship and concern ultimately led to her tragic fate.
CCTV footage showed her running and laughing after grabbing the bag. "One of the last moments we see Elianne alive, she is smiling grabbing a bag back," said Detective Chief Inspector Becky Woodsford, who led the Metropolitan Police investigation. "There was no malice in it, she was just trying to do the right thing and get to school on time." Sentamu pulled out a kitchen knife, chased Elianne, and repeatedly stabbed her. The contrast between her joyful demeanor and the ensuing violence is particularly heartbreaking.
Pastor Rhobi said the family has taken comfort from the support of the people of Croydon. "To hear that it was almost over a teddy bear, it felt like, 'Wow,'" Pastor Rhobi told me. "This amazing young, beautiful girl, with a bright future, whose parents invested so much in her, lost her life in seconds for that reason." During weeks of painful evidence at the Old Bailey murder trial, the court heard testimony from a bus driver who explained how he tried to give Elianne first aid and promised he would not leave her side. Pastor Rhobi said the family has been able to meet with him to express their gratitude. The community's response offered a glimmer of hope amidst the tragedy.
"I remember that brought me immense sadness, but also comfort, knowing that someone from the Croydon community really comforted her in her last breaths." The family found strength in the outpouring of support. Roads were closed so crowds could gather for vigils for Elianne, while cards and flowers were sent from all over the world. "It was so beautiful to see the community really support us in our most difficult time," Pastor Rhobi said. "There were over 800 people at the funeral, people standing outside, wow, it was a real mark of respect for her." The community's solidarity provided solace during a time of immense grief.
The Old Bailey heard that the day before Sentamu murdered Elianne, she and her friends had teased him and thrown water at him in an attempt to get him to apologize to his ex-girlfriend. Jurors were told that later that day, the teenager told a friend that he felt Elianne and her friends had disrespected him. The court heard that Sentamu called this friend and told him: "I can't let it go." These events leading up to the murder shed light on Sentamu's state of mind.
"We know exactly what that means," Pastor Rhobi told me. "We know that means he's going to inflict some kind of harm. I truly believe if it wasn't Elianne, it would have been someone else, so yeah, he wanted to inflict some kind of revenge that day." In an impact statement read at the Old Bailey during Sentamu's sentencing, Elianne's mother, Dorcas Andan, said: "I feel the wait for her absence exists in every fibre of my life. No 16th birthday, no prom, I will never see her walk down the aisle. My world has almost stopped. She had a beautiful mind, heart and soul… He has killed me as a mother of two, killed me financially, socially, killed my future." The profound impact of Elianne's death on her family is undeniable.
The trial heard that Sentamu had been in foster care for a time, had a history of being aggressive towards other children, and had taken a knife into class when he was 12, threatening to harm himself. While Pastor Rhobi told me he feels anger towards Sentamu, he is also questioning whether more could have been done to prevent Elianne's murder. "What if another man had taken his hand, maybe invested in him and mentored him? Or if other organizations really got hold of him and said, 'Yeah, we recognize you're struggling here, we're here to listen.' I really wonder maybe my cousin would still be here." He raises important questions about intervention and support for troubled youth.
Croydon Council has said there are no plans for a serious case review. Pastor Rhobi said Elianne's family wants to work with schools to talk to young people about the dangers of carrying knives. "There are many Hassans walking around Croydon. Young boys are angry, young boys are lost, young boys want to be heard. But I do believe there are great people in our community, great organizations that can really help and support these young people." The focus shifts to prevention and addressing the root causes of youth violence.
On the anniversary of Elianne's death, her family unveiled a mural at the site where she died. Adorned with personal messages from those who loved her, the mural depicts a smiling Elianne with her hair in her favorite scrunchie hairstyle. "The mural is beautiful because it really reflects Elianne," Pastor Rhobi said. "I hope it can remind people, as people walk past and drive past one of the busiest parts of Croydon, to stop and think about the impact knife crime has on this community." The mural serves as a lasting tribute and a call for change.
