A 15-year-old boy has been charged with murder after allegedly confessing to police that he stabbed another teenager during a confrontation in a Sydney park.
Alleged Confession and Court Proceedings
The accused, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, reportedly told officers 'I stabbed another boy in the leg' according to police body-worn camera footage presented in court. The incident occurred on Monday afternoon around 4:20pm in a park northwest of Sydney, within sight of numerous people walking nearby.
Magistrate James Viney read a police application for DNA samples during Tuesday's hearing at a children's court. The application contained sworn declarations stating that the victim was a 17-year-old with no criminal charges and that the younger boy allegedly set upon him unprovoked, stabbing him in the groin area.
When asked who he had stabbed, the 15-year-old allegedly gave police the name of the deceased. About three hours after the fatal confrontation, the younger boy arrived at a police station with a parent and was subsequently charged with murder.
Evidence and Witness Accounts
Police told the court that witnesses described seeing the victim's attacker dressed in a balaclava, hoodie, shorts and running shoes - a description allegedly matching that of the 15-year-old defendant. Authorities argued that scrapings taken from under his fingernails would likely contain DNA evidence matching the deceased.
A court order is required to take DNA evidence from an accused juvenile because they are not considered capable of giving informed consent under Australian law.
Several female witnesses who were in the park at the time rushed to help the victim after the stabbing. Paramedics were called but the teenager died soon after from stab wounds to his thigh.
Community Mourning and Official Responses
The 17-year-old victim has been remembered as 'sweet' and 'genuine' by friends and loved ones. His heartbroken girlfriend led tributes online, writing 'I'll love you forever' and describing how he made 'the little things fun' and brought a smile to her face 'every single day without fail'.
Friends described the slain teen as a 'strong boy' who 'deserved the world', with many adding 'fly high' and 'forever 17' in their online memorials.
Detective Superintendent Naomi Moore praised the witnesses who rendered aid, stating 'It would have been a horrifically confronting situation for those people' and noting they thought nothing of themselves despite the potentially dangerous situation.
NSW Premier Chris Minns expressed his condolences, saying 'I am deeply saddened by the death of a teenage boy at Rouse Hill' and extending sincere condolences to the family and friends, calling it an 'unimaginable loss' that would impact the whole community.
Police confirmed that those involved in the confrontation were not from the nearby Rouse Hill High School and officers believe it was not a random attack.
The 15-year-old accused sat quietly in the courtroom wearing a black hoodie and sporting a mullet haircut with shaved sides. He did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody for eight weeks. The case is scheduled to return to court on January 23.
