Parents of stabbed teenager Kennie Carter 'haven't started mourning' as they search for justice

The parents of a 16-year-old boy who was stabbed have not started mourning yet as they prepare for what would have been his 17th birthday.

Kennie Carter was stabbed to death in Stretford in January. In June, nine teenagers were re-arrested on suspicion his murder.

The teenagers, aged between 13 and 17, had already been arrested on suspicion of murder, and bailed.

Kennie's mum, Joan Dixon, wants someone to be held accountable for her son's death before she can mourn.

"I just want justice for Kennie, he was only 16. He wasn't even an adult for another two years," she says.

"I should still be running around after him and seeing what my son wants for tea and everything else. It’s all gone, it’s all gone.

"We’ve not even started mourning, we've not."

Joan has previously pleaded for the killer to "do the right thing" and come forward, a call which she repeated: "I want the parents of the children who were involved to think about all the memories that you have with your children.

"For your child to be murdered, and to have everything taken away in a heartbeat. Every day I wake up and Kennie’s on my mind 24/7. I go to sleep, Kennie’s on my mind still.

"I'm urging the parents of these children to talk to them. See what they were doing that night, what were they up to, what were their intentions and why.

"I don't want their families to be dragged through what they’re going to be dragged through. Just through the silliness of one boy."

Police have released blurry CCTV footage of a cyclist who may have seen the rival group, minutes before Kennie was stabbed.

Kennie's mum added: "It's not about grassing on someone - it's about doing the right thing and giving me, Kennie's dad, the siblings and the family some sort of closure, so that we can mourn properly for Kennie.

"The people who were there that night, they know who it was. All it needs is for one of you to do the right thing."

Before his birthday, Sunday 24 July, the family plan to set off fireworks, balloons and have a ceremony at the cemetery for him.

So far, investigators from the Major Incident Team have spoken to more than 50 people, gathered more than 100 hours of CCTV and executed more than a dozen warrants.

Any information can be passed on by calling 0161 856 9908, quoting incident 2529 of January 22, 2022.

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