The “beloved” 15-year-old British cheerleader who was killed on her way to school last week died from “multiple stab wounds” in the “brutal attack,” prosecutors said Tuesday.
“Beautiful” student gymnast Elianne Andam was allegedly slain by a 17-year-old boy wielding a large knife on a major thoroughfare in Croydon, South London, on Wednesday, outlets said.
An autopsy revealed she died from repeatedly being stabbed, said prosecutor Alison Morgan at the Old Bailey, according to the Telegraph.
”Aid was attempted to be administered to Elianne,” Morgan said. “Her life couldn’t be saved, and multiple stab wounds were identified in the post mortem.
“It was, the prosecution allege, a brutal attack.”
The horrific crime was witnessed by several onlookers, including Elianne’s school friends.
The attacker may have been wearing a mask and gloves when he removed the large knife from his waistband and started stabbing Andam, The Independent said.
Previous reports speculated that Andam was killed while trying to defend a pal from an ex-boyfriend who was trying to pass on a bouquet of flowers.
The teenage suspect – who was dressed in a black shirt and gray track pants – stood with his hands behind his back in the dock during the proceeding, the Telegraph reported.
He also sat with his head between his legs and reclined in the dock other times, the outlet said.
The adolescent – whose name cannot be revealed under British law because of his age – spoke only when asked to confirm his age and birthdate.
The accused teen fled the scene after the attack but was arrested later that morning, the BBC said.
He has not yet entered pleas to one count of murder and one count of possessing a knife.
Judge Mark Lucraft remanded the youth to a juvenile detention center, where he will await a plea hearing Dec. 19, followed by the provisional trial April 29.
Members of Andam’s family sat in the courtroom during Tuesday’s 30-minute hearing, the BBC reported.
The teen’s loved ones previously remembered her in a heartbreaking statement that was read at a vigil marking her death.
“We as a family are struggling to comprehend this painful tragedy that has happened to our beautiful daughter and beloved sister Elianne. Our hearts are broken,” the statement said.
“Elianne was a beautiful person inside and out who loved Jesus. She was intelligent, thoughtful, kind and had a bright future ahead.
“It is our request that you keep our cherished daughter Elianne and our family in your thoughts and prayers,” the family added.
At the time of her death, Andam was a student in year 11 at Old Palace of John Whitgift in Croydon, the Telegraph reported.
She was also an enthusiastic cheerleader and gymnast, the outlet said.
Andam is the fifteenth teen murder victim in London thus far in 2023, The Independent noted.
Last week, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan warned that there is “an epidemic of violence against young women and girls” in the UK, the Evening Standard reported.
“Across the country, every three days a woman or girl is killed at the hands of a man, so we have got to make sure the police are addressing issues of institutional sexism,” Khan said.
The mayor added that he thinks misogyny should be a “hate crime,” the outlet said.