The Singaporean teen who sent shock waves nationwide for killing a 13-year-old boy at River Valley High School is expected to plead guilty at the High Court in August.
The then 16-year-old, now 18, is accused of slashing the boy’s head, neck and body with an axe around 11:16am on July 19, 2021.
Reports say the two did not know each other. Police found the victim lying motionless in one of the school toilets. The accused allegedly told other students to “call the police” after the killing.
The accused, whose identity is protected by a gag order, appeared virtually through video in court today and told the court that he intends to plead guilty on August 7.
He faces culpable homicide, a charge downgraded from murder after the Institute of Mental Health found that he had clinical depression at the time of the killing. Court hearings also revealed that he had been a patient at the institute previously after he tried to commit suicide when he was 14 years old.
School murders are rare in Singapore. Many Singaporeans mourned the boy’s death by sending flowers and condolence messages, which sparked online discourse about the lack of mental health support for young people.
If found guilty, the accused faces a sentence of life imprisonment and caning or up to 20 years in prison along with a fine or caning.
If you or someone you know needs help with mental health-related issues, there are several hotline services available:
Samaritans of Singapore (24 hours): 1-767 / 9151-1767 (CareText via WhatsApp)
Institute of Mental Health’s Mental Health Helpline (24 hours): 6389-2222
Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019
Fei Yue’s Online Counselling Service: eC2.sg
Other stories you should check out:
