Marie Bokassa with her son, KelyanMarie Bokassa

Marie Bokassa with her son, Kelyan, who was stabbed to death on Tuesday

The mother of a 14-year-old boy who was stabbed to death on a bus in south-east London has said she is not surprised her son was killed.

Kelyan Bokassa was groomed by gangs from the age of six years old, his mother Marie Bokassa said.

He died shortly after being attacked on a 472 double-decker bus on Woolwich Church Street on Tuesday afternoon.

No arrests have been made, but detectives say they are “working at pace” to find those responsible.

Kelyan Bokassa, a black boy in school uniform, chest upwards Marie Bokassa

Kelyan was kind and good at football, his mother Marie Bokassa said

Speaking to the BBC from her flat in Greenwich, Ms Bokassa described Kelyan as “caring, very caring” and kind.

However, she said he had experienced some “extremely challenging times” and had been taken into care for a number of years.

She added Kelyan was “underweight, very hungry, tattooed and exposed to drugs” but they had just enjoyed Christmas together and he was back at school.

She said she asked for help and tried to prevent him from associating with gangs but did not receive support from the authorities, and her son “still had one foot on the streets”.

As a result, she said she was traumatised and shocked by his death, but not surprised.

“I feel hurt because I tried to prevent it. I’ve tried so many, so many times. I screamed it, I said ‘my son is going to be killed’.”

According to court documents seen by the BBC, Kelyan was due in court this week facing a charge of carrying a machete.

Marie Bokassa said her son loved drawing and cooking

“He cares about the people around him. He loved to have his friends around and when they were round he would want to cook for them,” Ms Bokassa added in a tearful tribute to her son.

“He was very articulate.

“He knows what he likes and knows how to express it.

“He was good in music. Anything he loves… he was doing to his best ability. He was good at football… and he was was extremely good at drawing.”

Kelyan attended Newhaven School, a pupil referral unit and specialist school in Eltham.

Head teacher Jon Kelly said: “We are devastated at the tragic death of this funny, kind and ambitious young man.

“It comes at a time when he was working incredibly hard at school to build on the successes he had already achieved since joining us.”

Mr Kelly said his thoughts were with Kelyan’s family and friends at “this unimaginably difficult time”.

St Columba’s Catholic Boys’ School in Bexleyheath confirmed Kelyan attended the school in 2022.

Paul Drake, the chief operating officer of the academy trust that runs the school, said staff and pupils were saddened by his death.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this difficult time,” he said.

“Our schools will provide support to any of the students who may be affected by this senseless violence.”

St Mary Magdalene Church in Woolwich held a vigil in Kelyan’s memory on Wednesday evening.

Rev Jesse van der Valk said they wanted to offer a space for “quiet prayer and reflection”.

“We want young people to know they are cared about by the community,” he said.

“We are concerned about the violence that’s going on in London and in our communities.”

Rev Jesse van der Val speaks to people gathered in the church

Rev Jesse van der Valk led prayers at a community vigil for Kelyan at St Mary Magdalene Church in Woolwich

Police, paramedics and the London Air Ambulance were called to the scene on Tuesday at about 14:30 GMT after the alert was raised by an officer on patrol.

Medics tried to treat his injuries, but he died soon afterwards.

Kelyan’s death comes just three months after another teenage boy lost his life to knife crime in Woolwich.

Daejaun Campbell, 15, was stabbed to death in Eglinton Road on 22 September last year, less than a mile-and-a-half away from Tuesday’s stabbing.

He was among 11 teenage boys who lost their lives to homicide in London in 2024.