Mourners have gathered in Croydon for the funeral of Elianne Andam, who dreamed of becoming a lawyer and was described as leaving behind a “legacy of faith, determination and love for justice”.
The funeral for the 15-year-old, who died after being stabbed during the morning rush hour at a bus stop in Croydon, south London, on 27 September, was held at the New Life Christian Centre on Saturday. More than 2,000 people followed the ceremony on a live stream.
A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with her murder.
Speaking before her funeral, Elianne’s family said they had been left broken by her killing but that they wanted her funeral to be a celebration of her time because she “liked to bring joy to people’s lives”.
Elianne’s aunts, Regina Boafo and Ruby Paintsil, told the BBC their niece had been a quiet girl who loved to sing and dance, and spoke of the impact her loss had on the family.
Elianne wanted to become a lawyer to “defend … the voiceless”, Paintsil told the broadcaster. “She doesn’t like injustice; she likes justice for people. Every time she’d get in trouble [it was] fighting for someone else.”
Paintsil said Elianne enjoyed spending time with her family. “She doesn’t like really a lot of arguments; she would never argue with her auntie or uncle.”
Boafo spoke of the impact her niece’s killing had had on the family, explaining that she hadn’t been able to work and had moved in with Elianne’s mother to support her.
“Up to now, I’m still not the same woman … I can’t do anything,” Boafo said. “I get up and I don’t even feel like dressing up, but you have to put clothes on because people are coming to sympathise with you.
“If I can’t even do things, just imagine how my sister feels – my sister who was trying to be strong and go to work, she can’t.”
Paintsil said Elianne’s mother “hasn’t been herself” since her daughter’s killing. “She is broken a lot … we have to keep comforting her,” she said. “If we could change the clock I wish we would not have to go through this.”
She said she had been questioning why this had happened to her niece. “I wish nobody would ever go through this pain.”
Paintsil emphasised that Elianne didn’t mix with “the wrong people”, adding: “She is very calm. She was the last person I would ever think someone would harm her with a knife.”
The aunts said they had received a tremendous amount of support, which had helped the family. “We really appreciate everything the nation and everyone is doing … thank you,” Boafo said.
