RVHS 16YO Student Spoke to His Parents For the First Time Ever Since He was Remanded

By
Zhi Hao
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On 19 July 2021, news that a 13-year-old student at River Valley High School (RVHS) had allegedly been murdered by a Sec 4 student with an axe rocked the nation.

Residents all around the country empathised with the plight of the victim’s family, prompting an outpouring of affection and support online.

Even after an entire week, everyone still struggled to come to terms with the incident. As PM Lee Hsien Loong said: “We cannot make sense of what happened”.

RVHS 16YO Student Spoke to His Parents For the First Time Ever Since He was Remanded

And now, there has been an update on the whole incident.

Lest you’re unaware, the perpetrator was charged with murder on 20 July 2021.

He was then remanded at the Complex Medical Center at Changi Prison, where he underwent psychiatric evaluation to determine his mental state of health. The stay was later extended on 10 August 2021 for two more weeks.

Throughout the period of remand, the 16-year-old student was unable to communicate with his parents and family members.

Following his lawyers’ request, however, the student was finally granted the chance to speak to his parents today (13 August 2021), for the first time since the murder occurred.

“Police arranged for a video call between the accused and his parents, and the call took place earlier today,” an Attorney-General’s Chambers spokesman revealed in a statement.

It should be noted that the prosecution had initially objected to such a request, stating that the teen was facing a capital charge.

In addition, investigations were still ongoing.

The request was subsequently rejected by District Judge Brenda Tan.

Adjournment

The case has since been adjourned to 24 August 2021, where the accused is set to face trial for the affiliated incident.

Should he be found guilty, he could face life imprisonment.

Usually, those who commit similar crimes would face the death penalty. In the student’s case, however, he cannot be hanged as he’s below 18 years old.

Case

In his speech, Mr Chan provided a more detailed timeline of what happened on that fateful day.

It was towards the end of their lunch break, at around 11:35 am, that a group of students stumbled upon a Sec 4 student holding an axe outside a toilet on the fourth floor.

With the axe still in hand, the 16-year-old asked the students to call the police.

After the students returned to their classrooms to inform their teacher, the Sec 4 student asked another group of students in the classroom next to the toilet to call the police.

Thereafter, a teacher who arrived at the scene of the attack asked the 16-year-old to put the axe down, and the latter complied.

While the Sec 4 student was escorted to a meeting room, other teachers found the 13-year-old victim lying motionless on the toilet floor with multiple wounds.

Paramedics later pronounced him dead.

It was also revealed that 540 employees and students sought psychological support from 98 MOE CARE officers and counsellors, who have been trained in psychological first aid and trauma management.

The Education Minister also noted the “heartening” acts of kindness displayed by some students within the school community.

Some students sent each other gifts and encouraging notes, while others urged their teachers to seek help if needed.

“All these speak volumes of the compassion and strength of the River Valley High School family,” Mr Chan said.

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Zhi Hao
Email: [email protected]