Teen arrested over alleged stabbing of grandmother
A 15-year-old boy has handed himself in amid the investigation into the alleged murder of Vyleen White, who was fatally stabbed in front of her six-year-old granddaughter while on a grocery run in Ipswich.
The boy, who was allegedly one of four males shown in CCTV footage released by police, has not been charged in relation to the 70-year-old’s death.
Instead, he was charged with one count of unlawful use of a motor vehicle for allegedly stealing the car used by the attackers to flee Redbank Plains Shopping Village on Saturday evening.
The boy handed himself into Ipswich Police Station at around 9.30pm on Sunday, and is due to appear at Ipswich Children’s Court on Monday.
The 2009 Hyundai Getz the boys used to escape was found in Springfield Lakes on Sunday morning and is being forensically examined.
The other four males have not yet been found.
White had just finished grocery shopping with her six-year-old granddaughter at Redbank Plains when she was stabbed in the chest in the centre’s underground carpark at about 6pm on Saturday.
The young girl was unharmed but left traumatised after witnessing the violent incident, and was reportedly screaming and crying for help.
White died at the scene a short time later, after attempts to revive her failed.
While police are still looking for the other attackers, Detective Acting Superintendent Heath McQueen said one man was responsible for the alleged murder.
“There is still one person involved in the attack,” he told a media conference on Sunday, and said that robbery was the motive.
They are appealing for anyone who might have seen the car between 6pm and 7pm on Saturday to contact them.
“It’s a cowardly crime like I’ve not seen in my time as a detective,” McQueen said.
“This is a (alleged) murder of a 70-year-old grandmother in front of her six-year-old granddaughter.
“Now is not the time to remain tight-lipped. Now is the time ... to provide us with the information we need to identify the offenders who are responsible for this (alleged) murder.”
Image: Facebook/ Queensland Police