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'How could they do this?' Agony of stabbed schoolgirl's mother as she sees her daughter's body
Last updated at 21:08pm on 04.06.08
Stricken with grief, the mother of stabbed schoolgirl Arsema Dawit leaves her London home today as she is taken to see her daughter's body.
Weeping uncontrollably, Tsehay Dawit was supported by her surviving daughter Feruz, 12, as she made her way to the car taking her to the mortuary.
Before she left, she pointed at the floral tributes laid outside the door to the block of flats where they lived in Lambeth and repeated over and over again: "How could they do this? It was here they left my daughter."
Meanwhile a 21-year-old student, Thomas Nugusse, of Ilford, Essex has been charged with Arsema's murder and will appear at Greenwich Magistrates Court on Thursday, Scotland Yard said tonight.
Agony: Tsehay Dawit on her way to see her murdered daughter Arsema's body today. On her right is her surviving daughter Feruz, 12
Mourning: Women in traditional Eritrean dress at the site of Arsema's murder. Floral tribute can be seen on the right of the picture
Fifteen-year-old Arsema's family want to know why more was not done to protect the former choirgirl, who was knifed to death more than a month after she first complained about death threats from a stalker.
As mourners gathered outside their home today, one woman blamed her death on the police. 'What's the point in having a police presence here now?' she said.
Family friend Simon Tesfaghiorgish said the man known as Thomas who had allegedly been stalking Arsema was part of her circle of friends.
He added: 'I met Thomas about three times and he seemed normal. I saw him twice in Arsema's house, but he was not her boyfriend. He would turn up with one of her friends and was welcomed into the home.'
Arsema, whose body was found slumped in a lift with ten stab wounds, was being constantly harassed and had been slapped around the face by a man who attended her church.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said today it will investigate the way police have handled the case.
Murdered: Arsema Dawit, 15, was stabbed to death in a frenzied attack just yards from her own door
Her family told officers just weeks ago that Arsema had been assaulted by an obsessive man.
But they said police had told them there was nothing they could do about the man, who met Arsema at an Eritrean church where she was a member of the choir.
In a statement, the IPCC said it had asked the Metropolitan Police to refer the investigation to it.
'The family complained to the Metropolitan Police that Arsema, 15, was assaulted on 30 April, five weeks before her murder in Waterloo, London SE1,' the statement read.
'The IPCC awaits the referral, whereupon the Commission will assess how the investigation should be carried out.'
Scotland Yard is already investigating a series of allegations over the way the case was handled.
Senior officers will want to know:
• Why the 21-year-old who allegedly stabbed Arsema was not identified and spoken-to by police in the month after her family-complained that he was harassing her.
• Why it took officers 12 days to interview Arsema in detail about the allegations after she and her mother first went to police.
• Exactly how many times Arsema's family complained to police about the harassment.
• What actions were taken to protect her from the stalker.
Scotland Yard has admitted it was investigating an allegation of assault from the schoolgirl at the time of her death.
Her family contacted police in April and began escorting Arsema everywhere but he would turn up at their home in a block of flats near London Waterloo station south of the Thames.
Two months ago, a female relative was seen having a screaming match with him in the stairway of their block of flats and warning him not to hurt the teenager, who arrived with her family from Eritrea four years ago.
Arsema's mother Tsehay went into a police station on April 30 saying her daughter had been slapped by a man in a McDonald's restaurant in Walworth and he had threatened to kill her.
Investigation: Forensic teams continue to work at the scene where Arsema Dawit was stabbed
Detectives launched an investigation but claim that when Arsema was questioned she said she knew nothing about the incident.
The inquiry was still under way when she was stabbed and Scotland Yard has launched a review into the handling of the assault allegation.
Last night it emerged that police took 12 days to interview Arsema after her mother made the complaint.
One theory is that Mrs Dawit gave police a wrong name for the suspect so officers were unable to find him.
Friends said that Arsema's family were preparing to lodge a formal complaint with the Metropolitan Police.
Arsema's body was found at 3.45pm on Monday. She was wearing her school uniform and it is thought her killer had been laying in wait for her.
Police are investigating whether Arsema was involved in a relationship with the man before he began harassing her.
Sources suggested that she might actually have been 18 or 19 and lied about her age to get into the education system.
Neighbour Cosima Paniza heard the girl arguing with a man in the stairwell shortly before she was killed.
She said: 'She was screaming at him but he was not so loud. It's clear he was threatening her though. At the moment the door into our flat block is not locked so anyone can just enter.'
Neighbour Wayne Fort, whose flat is on the fourth floor next to Arsema's family, told how his nine-year-old daughter found the body.
'She came screaming to our door, saying, "Daddy, daddy. Quick come. Arsema is in the lift. She is on the floor and there is lots of blood."
'When I went downstairs a paramedic was with Arsema and all I could do was usher my family away.'
Mr Fort said he had seen an older girl arguing with a man outside the flat two months ago, yelling at him: 'Don't touch my sister again. Don't go near my sister.'
He added: 'The family didn't really tell me what the row was about but the man had met Arsema at church and became infatuated with her.
Overcome with grief: Arsema's mother had to be helped by a friend as she returned to the scene of her daughter's murder
It is clear the family didn't want this man around, but I'm not sure they knew how to get rid of him.
'The man was very quiet and very calm, but you could tell he wasn't right - he definitely wasn't all there. I told the family to call the police and they did.'
The Dawit family had fled civil war in their native Eritrea, North-East Africa. Arsema's distraught mother, 14-year-old brother Robel and 12-year-old sister Feruz were being comforted by friends and family at their home.
Scotland Yard released a statement outlining the police response to Mrs Diwat's complaint on April 30. A spokesman said: 'The allegation was investigated by officers from Southwark CID. As part of this investigation, on May 12 a Safer Schools officer spoke to the victim at her school. However the victim was unaware of the incident and had no knowledge of it.
'Despite this we continued to investigate the circumstances of the incident and Arsema's mother was subsequently contacted on May 19. The investigation was still being progressed when Arsema was tragically attacked.'
A senior Scotland Yard source said: 'Initial inquiries suggest that original complaint was handled properly and that no one could have forecast such a dreadful chain of events.
'However the review will be robust and examine whether the complaint could have been dealt with differently.'
Arsema is the 16th teenager to be stabbed to death in London this year and the first female victim.
Stunned: A family friend struggles to deal with the tragedy
She was a Year 10 pupil at Harris Academy School in Bermondsey.
Principal Cathy Loxton said: 'We are all shocked by the loss of one of our students and the tragic ending of a life that showed so much promise.'
Arsema attended St Michael's Eritrean Orthodox Church in Camberwell every Saturday and Sunday. The parish priest, Father Yohannes Sibhatu, described her as a 'committed Christian' and said: 'She worshipped in this church and used to sing in the choir.
'She used to be very active, but in the last two years, for some reason, she was quite quiet.'
The inquiry into the handling of the case will investigate the suspect's mental health background and immigration status to find out whether he is in the country legally and how long he has been here.
Hours after the stabbing he was arrested half a mile from the scene on Hungerford Bridge, a footbridge which crosses the Thames.
Witnesses said he was in agitated state and threatening to jump off the bridge. Plainclothed officers wearing stab vests drew batons and wrestled him to the floor.
Reader views (36)
I believe that many Africans live in Europe without a decent network. For the refugees living in Europe it is hard to ask help from their Embassies and so we have to witness such horrible crimes. I believe we must improve our network, although the Eritreans Abroad have a very special one. The only thoughts today is for the family and friends of this young "Eritrean flower".
- Mahari Seghid, Berlin Germany
Obviously from the comments I've read no one has read the article correctly. Furthermore what could the police do if the girl denied the attacker harassing her?? Also as a parent I know that if my 15year old daughter was being stalked, she would not be walking home alone!! Always quick to blame other people except ourselves. Someone suggests he was normal, and he was seen in the family home??
- Miss P, Middlesex
A waste of another beautiful life....
- Daizy, N England
A person who intentionally takes a life should have their life taken as well, this does not mean that we should execute them but make sure that their life is worthless. Lock them up with none of this so called cushy-ness of prison, make them do hard physical work and repay the debt to society. Whether they are Male or female, young or old - life is precious - too many do gooders etc must take some of the blame, after all it's their policies that are making this country a cesspit of crime that is getting out of hand. The Labour Party used to be for the Every Day Man (and Woman) of this country but they have failed miserably, WAKE UP OR FACE THE CONSEQUENCES.
- Roy, London
"Care in the Community" .. think that just about sums it up! What community? No 'community' exists today & as for 'care' ...?
It's obvious that the man who took that poor girl's life should have been receiving treatment in a secure psychiatric hospital, but no he was left to 'the community' to look after him & to make it even more obscene they call these psychiatric units "Rehab" now to make it sound glamorous ..! Nearly every day I read in the press or switch on the news only to find there's been another senseless murder, another life taken. What's got to happen to make a difference? Something radically needs to change & change SOON ..!
- J, Beds, UK
To: A Paul, West Palm Beach.
How irresponsible are you advising people to arm themselves. You can keep that attitude in the "good old USA" thanks. We don't need advice from a trigger-happy nation. Guess your leader isn't the only stupid American - are you related?!!
- Natalie,, London, London, UK
A Paul, West Palm Beach,Fl.USA - you are an idiot. I am glad you don't live in this country with views like that.
- Loo, St Albans
He beat her up and yet the police did nothing. Now this poor girl's family have lost her and her life has been shortened due to the Police's lack of action. They quite literally did nothing until he had murdered her. What a disgrace. Unfortunately, the people involved will get away with a slap on the wrist if that.
- Jk, London
This is another tragic story of needless and mindless violence that we are seeing almost everyday in the news.
It saddens me that not a single day goes by without another young life taken.
- Kob1, London
I wonder how many speeding tickets the local nick gave out the day she was murdered.
- Threaded, Roskilde, Denmark
I pass this block on the way to work every day and it is quite a pleasant block in a reasonably safe area. The amazing thing is that the crime scene is less than 200 yards from Kennington Police Station, which is staffed day and night and always has a line of police cars parked outside. The roads around the area see police cars going by every few minutes at times. So there is no obvious excuse for the police not keeping in touch with this girl and her family.
Btw re the first correspondent - there has been a vast increase in police numbers and resources under Labour. And crime has fallen.
- Regular Commuter, London NW6
They got one job - protect and serve - that's it.
- Rich, San Angelo USA
Uma Thurman is a huge American movie star. The man who decided to stalk and harass her was arrested, and then detained by a mental hospital, so that he could understand the severity of his crime. Arsema Dawit was an innocent, church-going teenager. The man who decided to stalk her was reported to the police, yet no action was taken against him, giving him the opportunity to track her down, and kill her in a cold-blooded, senseless attack. She was let down by the very system we rely on to prevent these kind of crimes from happening. I cannot understand why this has happened, and why nothing was done to prevent it. It makes me sad to know that this is the world we live in. My heart goes out to all the families who have lost their children to the violent, senseless attacks that are sweeping our streets.
- Leeanne, Hackney, East London
Oh, this is yet another sad story of a young girl stabbed.
- Kaniccha, UK
Casper from Spain, I have been carrying a knife since the first grade and my knife has harmed no one. So why should anyone be given 10 years for a knife. It would seem to me that the people of England have no why to protect themselves since the police cannot or will not. I would say to the people of Britian, "Arm yourselves and damn the government".
- A Paul, West Palm Beach,Fl.USA
For knife crime, forty two days springs to mind! That is forty two days in a padded cell on water only - no food, no company, no drugs, no mobile, no music and no TV! That may make some young men think more than twice! But it seems that a disturbed mind is the culprit in this case.
- Anne, London
Classic hears one stabbing that could and should have been prevented and wasn't. My heart goes out to this poor family.
- Stuart, London
So the highly intelligent plod is not sure of the exact relationship between the girl and her murderer! He was stalking her, you idiot, which you and your force did nothing about. Then he became her killer, which you will again to nothing to rectify. And you will not prevent it from happening again.
What chance does British society have with a police force like that?
Glad I'm not there.
- R. Jones, Ft.. Lauderdale, FL, USA
There's no police target "dealing with possible stalkers". Why would they waste valuable time doing that?
- David, London
A lot of people posting comments on this story seem to overlook the facts that:
a) The killer was a man in his thirties, not a kid or a teenager.
b) He was evidently a nutter. Stalkers who hang around a church do not sound like you or I, but for the grace of god.
- Karli, Tottenham London
It's a pity that some people can only see this tragedy as a chance to score cheap political points. The first three Moors murders happened under a Conservative government and while the death penalty was still in force. If anyone thinks that these things didn't happen pre-1997, they have a short memory.
- Tonyb, Twickenham
The police were probably too busy arresting peaceful demonstrators or preventing people exercising their right to freedom of speech in our no-go ghettos.
- Spike, Bucks
The population as a whole voted labour not once, but twice. What do you expect. Labour has always been soft on crime, and always will be.
- Steve, London UK
I can't help wondering why the police could do nothing to deal with this lunatic.
- Linzi, Largo, USA
NuLab targets - solving a crime gold star preventing a crime nil!
- Dave, London
Marvin Gaye said it best...
Mother, mother
There's too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There's far too many of you dying
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today -
Politicians, all of us, need to find a way. If we can mobilise an army of thousands complete with material to a campaign taking years halfway across the world, then surely we can fund whatever it takes to reverse this slide into hate, pain and the loss of everything that matters. It's still only a minute part of the population that is killed, but a large part of the population lives in fear, including those who "tool-up" and carry weapons. This is more important than party politics, yet the population's needs and wishes are stifled by party politics.
Can we not fund a doubling in police officers? Can we not tell judges what we want them to do for us?
Act decisively now and we stand a chance. Fiddle about for 5 years and we'll be burying a child every day in London.
- Fresh, london
Britain 2008
The police did nothing to thwart the older (paedophile?) killers' unwanted attention.
The council did nothing to fix the broken 'security' doors for 2 years.
The CPS will deem him unfit for trial and lock him up in a mental institution.
What will be done to prevent his happening again, nothing?
Who will be held responsible? No one
Another teenagers family mourns.
Britain, 2008
- Melissa, London
It's easy blaming the government for everything, but I think firstly its the mentality of people that needs to be changed, and that's probably the hardest challenge...
- Siri, Norway
It doesn't look the same gang stabbings. It's unhelpful to lump them together. From what is reported here, which should be treated with caution, it has more in common with the murder of Clare Bernal who was murdered in Harvey Nichols by Michal Pech. No amount of legislation is going to stop people from doing weird stuff because they are in some kind of emotional funk. Lock the perpetrator away by all means, but do no confuse the crime or the criminal with the arrogant, disgusting and stupid behaviour which is leading to the gang related deaths.
- Nu, London
May Asima rest in peace. My thoughts are with her family.
- Bill, France
When are we going to go to the streets, we few we happy few.
- Knights Templar, Britain
Why oh why oh why can this government not get it through their heads that knife crime is a massive problem in Britain. Anybody under the age of 18 found carrying a knife should face a mandatory ten year prison term, no excuses, no parole. Anybody selling a knife to someone under 18 should receive a similar term. Heavy crimes require a heavy handed punishment. Only then can the streets be made safe for Britain's children.
- Casper Slides, Ibiza, Spain
I just can't believe what I have read today. The person who knifed her to death, doesn't he have a life himself and he's taking other's life and that too a 15 year old girl who is described as so well behaved and polite. What wrong could she do to anyone?
Those who kill people thinking that they are the masters of others life, should be taught a lesson, a tough response to what they do for their fun or to prove their power.
I am shocked to read almost everyday killing news. Why can't these people stop killing and live and let live?
- Rajesh, London
My God support this aching family.
- Susan F, Pittsburgh, PA USA
The fact that people can carry out horrific crimes as above and effectively know that the punishment does not befit the crime - and walk out of jail in several years is very sad. Prison is probably not a deterrent to these people as it is comparatively cushy with more human rights than you can shake a stick at! What about the human rights of the victims??
I am fed up hearing of criminals 'having issues' and were not loved as a child so that they can commit crimes of this nature with impunity. It is about time that politicians got some balls and really hammered these forms of crime.
Anybody else have any answers to this problem? I know it isn't the best answer but what else is there - nothing else seems to work!
- Jim Reeves, Cyprus
Very sad indeed, her family came to the UK from Africa to what they thought would be a peaceful country. How tragically wrong they were.
- Andy Cooper, London
