Jodie Chesney: Stabbing suspect ‘said nothing’ to 17-year-old before knifing her in back, say police

Police issue descriptions of two men involved in attack on Girl Scout

(Metropolitan Police)

Teenage murder victim Jodie Chesney was playing music and socialising with friends before she was stabbed once in the back without any warning, say police.

The 17-year-old student was attacked in a park off St Neot’s Road in Harold Hill, Romford, on Friday night and died at the scene shortly afterwards.

Detectives are now hunting for two men who entered the park and walked straight towards the group to launch the attack around 9.30pm.

Neither of the men said anything before they ran off leaving Jodie fatally injured, according to the latest statement from the Metropolitan Police.

The suspect who stabbed Jodie is described as a black male in his late teens. No further information has been given about the second man.

Police said Jodie’s group first saw the two men in the park around half an hour earlier.

“They left around 9pm without interacting with Jodie or her friends,” according to the statement.

“Around 30 minutes later the pair returned to the park and walked straight towards the group, where one of the males stabbed Jodie once in the back.

“Nothing was said by the two suspects, who ran off in the direction of Retford Road.”

A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as trauma and haemorrhage.

Detective Chief Inspector Dave Whellams, who is leading the investigation, appealed for witnesses who had not already spoken to police to come forward.

He said: “There has been excellent support from the local community and a number of people have shared information with police, but there will be other witnesses and people with information that may prove crucial.

“Although the description of the suspect is limited, I am certain that people will have seen the two males hanging around the park or running away from the scene – or will otherwise have noticed something suspicious. I need those people to call me.”

Jodie’s grandmother described the attack as unprovoked in a public post on Facebook and called for the violence to stop.

“How have we come to this point where kids can’t have a walk in a park without suffering an unprovoked attack?” Debbie Chesney said.

Teresa Farenden, who lives near the park, said she heard Jodie’s boyfriend shouting for help immediately after the attack.

“It was horrific, it was just the blood,” she told The Times. The 49-year-old tried to perform CPR, including chest compressions, on the teenager but was unaware that the blade used in the attack was still lodged in the girl’s back.

“I didn’t see it because it was dark,” she said. “I didn’t realise at the time, but all I kept thinking once the police told me, was ‘Have I put the knife in further by giving her compressions?’”

No arrests have yet been made and the murder investigation continues.

“It is days like these that really do highlight how we must continue to work tirelessly with our partners and the public to tackle knife crime,” said John Ross, acting Detective Chief Superintendent of Scotland Yard’s East Area Command Unit.

“I am urging any witnesses, anyone who saw anything suspicious or anyone with information about the incident to contact police and share what they know.

“We need to hear from anyone who has information that could detect or prevent crime. Your information could take a knife off our streets or save a life.”