Parents make emotional appeal to other teenagers for 'no more killing' after son's stabbing

The heartbroken parents of a 17-year-old boy who was stabbed to death have launched an emotional appeal to other teenagers, pleading with them for "no more killing".

Jesse Nwokejiobi died from a stab wound on 19 November in the Chesterton area of Cambridge.

His mother and father have spoken out to pay tribute to their son, and urge other young people to give up knives.

Jesse's mother, Rita Ofor, wore her son's jacket and wept as she spoke of her overwhelming grief.

She told ITV News Anglia: "This is too much for me to take, somebody taking my son away, the boy I loved so much.

"I don't want any parents to go through what I am going through every day. I am calling my son to come back every day, every day. Why are they killing each other?"

In a statement she added: "Waking up daily without you is hard; I cannot imagine doing this daily as it seems like a joke even as I write this.

"However, I am grateful to you, my boy, for all you did for us in your lifetime. And I will not disappoint you in any way; I will trust the Lord God to help me do what you could not do; I will trust the Lord to help me guide your siblings to lead a fulfilled and beautiful life...

"I will miss your smile, calls, hugs, play, music, help, birthdays, prayers, outings, and everything. My physical time with you is now over, but your memory will live on in our hearts and you will always be remembered for your love and selflessness."

Jesse's father Henry Nwokejiobi, 60, said he had sent Jesse to live in Cambridge with his mother because he thought he would be safer there.

Mr Nwokejiobi, from Mill Hill in north-west London, said he was estranged from Mrs Ofor and felt it would do Jesse good to get away from London.

"Honestly I thought he would be safer in Cambridge," he said. "Cambridge is not known for that kind of stuff, stabbings."

He said his son would not carry a knife, and that he "had a lot of words with Jesse about knife crime".

He said: "Jesse was a good lad, a good son and he will be missed.

"He's the kind of boy that when he's around, the place lit up, he has this infectious laugh when he's laughing, he laughs easily and as young as he was as the time, he was very bold, very confident.

"I had high hopes for Jesse."

Jesse, who was 6ft 6ins tall and loved rugby and singing, was studying to become an electrical engineer at Cambridge Regional College.

He was the middle brother of five with the other four aged 23, 22, 13 and 11.

His parents said he was adored by his family and had many friends.

Jesse died from a stab wound at Logan's Meadow, a small nature reserve next to the River Cam, on the afternoon of 19 November.

Police were called by the ambulance service at 2.52pm but Jesse was pronounced dead four minutes later. He died from a single stab wound.

Since the attack, several people have been arrested and two 16-year-olds have been charged with murder.

Three other teenagers who were arrested remain on bail.

A 44-year-old man and a 36-year-old woman from Harston, Cambridgeshire, arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder, have been bailed until 28 February.

Jesse's parents said more needed to be done to get knives off the street.

Mr Nwokejiobi said: "Jesse's life has been cut short - that's tragic."