Horrific death of ‘lovely mum’
A kind-hearted woman was walking home after work when she was allegedly fatally stabbed by a stranger who was in the care of mental health services.
Police have described the broad daylight knife attack on the woman in Christchurch on Saturday afternoon as ‘‘horrific, traumatic and random’’.
A 37-year-old man is scheduled to appear in court today charged with her murder.
The woman, aged in her 50s, caught a bus home after work. She had walked alone about 300 metres from her bus stop when she was allegedly stabbed by the man on the footpath on Cheyenne St, Sockburn about 4.20pm.
Residents of the quiet suburban street helped the woman until paramedics arrived at the scene, but she could not be saved.
The man was arrested a short time later, about 500m away, on Epsom Rd, after a brief search involving police dogs. He was with his brother, who had arrived after the attack and had no part to play in the crime.
The Press understands the alleged murderer had been in the care of mental health services. It’s unclear what conditions he was subject to.
A Canterbury District Health Board spokesperson and Health Minister Andrew Little declined to comment yesterday while the matter was investigated by police.
The woman, who moved to New Zealand from Fiji several years ago, lived with her husband and son metres from where she was killed.
Grieving members of the Moraia Fijian Parish, where the woman attended, visited the Cheyenne St crime scene late yesterday afternoon.
They said she was kind, supportive and a ‘‘lovely community mum’’ and her death had come as a ‘‘tremendous shock’’.
Sockburn residents are also struggling to come to grips with the act of senseless violence that unfolded in their community.
Bunches of flowers were left at the scene, including one dropped off by a tearful colleague.
Epsom Rd resident Bob Alexander witnessed what’s believed to be the arrest of the alleged murderer.
The 74-year-old ventured out of
his home to see why there were emergency services in the area.
As he neared the end of his lengthy shared driveway, he was stopped by a police officer.
‘‘Don’t come any closer, we’ve got the dogs out,’’ he was told.
Alexander turned and began walking back to his house. He got barely 10m before he heard raised voices.
‘‘I turned around in time to see [a police officer] grab [a man] and flick him to the ground.’’
That was followed almost immediately by a chorus of dogs ‘‘going ape shit’’.
Alexander’s driveway was cordoned off immediately afterwards and access was restricted until after police had examined the scene yesterday.
He and his wife Bobbie, 71, often walk their dog along Cheyenne St.
‘‘It’s a bit scary,’’ Bobbie Alexander said. ‘‘It’s a bit close to home.’’
Canterbury district commander Superintendent John Price said the alleged offender was known to police, but not the victim. ‘‘This was a horrific, traumatic and random attack on an innocent person who was simply making her way home from work.’’
The ‘‘senseless act’’ would have an ‘‘incredible impact’’ on the community.
Price said police were still piecing together what had happened, and didn’t provide a motive for the attack. However, he confirmed the suspected murder weapon had been recovered.
A scene examination at the Cheyenne St crime scene had largely been completed by last evening.