Murder probe launched after 14-year-old's death

Mar 1 2011 By Dan Warburton

A MURDER investigation was launched this morning after a 14-year-old boy was stabbed to death.

At just after midnight, police were called to an address at Newriggs, Washington where they discovered the teenager with serious stab wounds.

He was taken to Sunderland Royal Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 1.45am. A 31-year-old man has been arrested and is currently in police custody.

Det Chief Insp Peter Bent, who is leading the investigation, said: "This is a tragic loss of a young life and we are working closely with his family.

"A full investigation has been launched and we believe the victim and the arrested man were known to each other.

"The attack is believed to have happened inside the house and we are not looking for anyone else in connection with this death."

Police said the arrested man was a relative.

A neighbour said the dead boy used to live with his grandmother in the house where he died.

The mother-of-two, who has a son the same age, said: "It’s awful when you have seen him as a little lad kicking a ball around in the street.

"He might not have had a great start in life but he deserved a life."

The woman, walking her dalmatian dog, said she was not sure if the boy was still living with his grandmother at the time.

She said it was a nice place to live, and although large numbers of teenagers gathered locally, there was very little trouble.

"It’s a big shock," she added. "You never know what goes on behind closed doors.

"It’s quite a neighbourly community. I have lived in Washington all my life and Fatfield is a nice area."

Uniformed officers stood at the front and back of a terraced town house on a winding pedestrianised street.

The houses were smartly painted cream with red roofs and were neatly double-glazed.

A post mortem examination will be carried out later today. Anyone with any information should call police on 03456 043 043 ext 69191.