A 16-year-old cheerleader has been stabbed to death during a high school parade in New York.
Junior Varsity cheerleading captain Kayla Green was one of two people knifed as Mount Vernon High School celebrated the boys’ basketball team winning the state championship on Friday.
Her 15-year-old friend, who suffered a puncture wound and lacerations, was rushed to hospital and survived.
A 15-year-old girl was arrested and charged with Manslaughter in the First Degree, Attempted Assault in the First Degree, and Assault in the Second Degree, all felonies.
The suspect’s identity has not been released on account of her age.
Westchester County District Attorney Mimi Rocah said the attack happened on Gramatan Avenue in Mount Vernon, just before 4pm, which was about an hour after the parade had started.
The motive remains unknown.
The victim’s mother Lavern Gordon shared a heartbreaking photo of her daughter in the hospital where she died.
“They took my baby away from me, they murdered my child and then bragging about it but I leave all vengeance to God, everyone that’s reaching out to me tagging me reposting it I really appreciate it I saw it thank you guys so much I am not strong please pray for me while I try to pray for myself,” she wrote, “at this point I feel like I want to die and bury with my child, god I just want to die please take me with her she was only 16 and they took my baby away from me I want to die right now.”
“I don’t even know how to say RIP to my daughter this feels so unreal God why meeeeeeeeee why meeee Lord, my daughter don’t bother ppl her mother don’t bother no one evenly Father why me I just want to die.”
“Somebody please tell that girl to come and kill me too I want to bury with my daughter god please take me with her I don’t want to live no more they took my baby away from me….” she wrote in another post.
Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard, who had shared a celebratory photo of the champion Mount Vernon Knights and the cheer squad just hours before the stabbing, called the attack senseless and inexcusable.
“I am devastated and completely outraged. We began our day celebrating the greatness and success of our youth, and we ended it with a young life that has been taken by senseless and inexcusable violence,” she said, per the WM Leader.
“The mental, emotional and spiritual health of our community, especially of our children, must be the priority and we must come together. As a community, our common unity must be the safety and healthy development of our young people. Our heartfelt prayers and condolences go out to the family, friends, and the entire community of Mount Vernon.”
On Monday, a Westchester County judge ordered the teen suspect remain in custody.
Prosecutors told the court that the 15-year-old had shown the knife off earlier that day on social media, and had come to the parade armed with it, CBS reported.
They said the attack happened just one block from the parade, as Kayla sat in a vehicle just minutes after walking in the procession.
A police officer tried to intervene when he saw the altercation break out, but Kayla was fatally stabbed in the back and side, they said.
Prosecutors also claimed the suspect tried to hide evidence, including the knife, after fleeing the scene. She was eventually tracked down via her smartphone, with help from the FBI.
According to the outlet, the suspect’s defense attorney Pamela Hayes hinted that the incident was a case of self defense — something the prosecution strongly rejects. Kayla’s family claim the suspect had a history of bullying her.
A GoFundMe set up to help the family describes Kayla as an honor role student, a talented dancer, loved and admired by everyone in her community, school and family.
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