Elianne Andam was tragically stabbed to death outside the Westfield shopping centre, leaving her family, friends, and community in shock and grief. Denzil Larbi, her cousin, received the devastating news from his sister and was left paralyzed with sorrow. Previously, he had seen a news report about a 15-year-old girl being stabbed to death in Croydon, only to realize that the victim was his beloved cousin Elianne.
As a senior pastor at West Croydon Baptist Church, Rev Larbi was familiar with the knife crime plaguing the borough, but nothing could have prepared him for the brutal murder of his cousin. Elianne, described as a “miracle baby” by Rev Larbi, was cherished by her family for her joyful and cheeky personality. She aspired to become a human rights lawyer and had a passion for music and dance, deeply rooted in her Christian faith.
Elianne’s teachers at Old Palace of John Whitgift School remember her as artistic, creative, and deeply devoted to her close-knit group of friends. The events leading up to her tragic death involved a confrontation with Hassan Sentamu, her friend’s ex-boyfriend, over a teddy bear. Sentamu, who admitted to killing Elianne, received a 23-year prison sentence after his defense of diminished responsibility due to autism was rejected by the jury.
The devastating loss of Elianne has sparked reflection and questions about what could have been done to prevent her untimely death. Rev Larbi wonders if more support and intervention could have altered the course of events. Despite the pain and grief, Elianne’s family finds solace in the overwhelming community support shown through vigils, tributes, and messages of condolence. Their hope is to raise awareness about the dangers of knife crime and engage with young people to prevent similar tragedies in the future
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