Mother 'not surprised' son killed on London bus

A 14-year-old boy was stabbed to death on a bus in southeast London, and his mother, Marie Bokassa, has said that she is not surprised by her son's death. She revealed that her son, Kaylan Bokassa, had been groomed by gangs since the age of six.

Kaylan died shortly after being attacked on a 472 double-decker bus on Woolwich Church Street on Tuesday afternoon. No arrests have been made yet, but police say they are "speeding up" their search for those responsible. Speaking to the BBC at her flat in Greenwich, Marie Bokassa described Kaylan as "very caring and kind-hearted".

However, she also said that Kaylan had experienced some "very challenging times" and had been in foster care for several years. She added that Kaylan was "underweight, very hungry, had tattoos, and had been exposed to drugs," but they had just spent Christmas together and he was also returning to school. She had sought help to try to stop him from being involved with gangs, but had not received support from the authorities, and her son "still had one foot on the streets."

Therefore, she said she was shocked and traumatized by her son's death, but not surprised. "I'm hurt because I tried to stop this. I tried so many times, so many times. I screamed 'my son is going to be killed.'" According to court documents seen by the BBC, Kaylan was due to appear in court next week on charges of carrying a machete.

Marie Bokassa said her son loved drawing and cooking. "He cared about the people around him. He loved being with his friends, and when they came, he would want to cook for them," Ms. Bokassa said tearfully in tribute to her son. "He was very expressive. He knew what he liked and how to express it. He was good at music, and whatever he liked, he would do his best to do it. He was good at football and he was very good at drawing."

Kaylan attended Newhaven School in Eltham, a pupil referral unit and special school. Headteacher Jon Kelly said: "We are devastated by the tragic death of this interesting, kind and ambitious young man. At the time of his death he was working hard in school to build on the progress he had made since joining us." Mr. Kelly said his thoughts were with Kaylan's family and friends "at this unimaginably difficult time."

St Columba's Catholic Boys' School in Bexleyheath confirmed that Kaylan had attended the school in 2022. Paul Drake, Chief Operating Officer of the academy trust that runs the school, said that staff and students were saddened by his death. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this difficult time," he said. "Our school will offer support to any students who may be affected by this senseless act of violence."

A vigil was held at St Mary Magdalene Church in Woolwich on Wednesday evening to remember Kaylan. The vicar, Jesse van der Valk, said they wanted to provide a space for "quiet prayer and reflection." "We want young people to know that they are cared for by the community," he said. "We are concerned about the violence that is happening in London and in our community."

Police, paramedics and the London Air Ambulance were called to the scene after a patrolling officer raised the alarm at approximately 14:30 GMT on Tuesday. Paramedics tried to treat his injuries, but he died shortly afterwards. Kaylan's death comes just three months after another teenager was killed by a knife in Woolwich. Dajon Campbell, 15, was stabbed to death on Eglinton Road on September 22 last year, less than a mile and a half from Tuesday's stabbing. He was one of 11 teenage boys killed by homicide in London in 2024.