Tributes to ‘ kind’ boy, 12, as youth appears in court charged with his murder
HEARTBROKEN friends and family have paid tribute to a schoolboy found murdered just days before his 13th birthday.
The body of Roberts Buncis, who would have been celebrating yesterday, was discovered on grassland in Fishtoft, Lincs, on Saturday morning.
He was described as a “kind and popular” student at Haven High Academy, in Boston, and destined for a “life of joy, happiness and success”.
A 14- year- old boy has been charged with his murder and was remanded in custody yesterday to appear before Lincoln Crown Court next month.
Originally from Latvia, Roberts was being raised by his single dad Edgars, who brought him to the UK to give him a better life, a family friend said. It is understood Roberts’ mum lives in Latvia.
His headteacher Matthew Van Lier held an assembly for grieving students and staff, describing it is an “unbelievably sad day for Haven High and the wider community”.
He added: “A member of our academy had been taken away from his family and friends well before his time. To make the situation even worse, today he would have been celebrating his 13th birthday. He was destined for a life of joy, happiness and success and we should try to remember him in that way.”
Meanwhile, a JustGiving page set up to support Roberts’ family has raised more than £ 12,000 within 12 hours.
Organiser Agnes Emsina wrote: “Roberts comes from a single- parent family, just Roberts and his dad Edgars, and therefore we would like to help with costs for the funeral and make this time easier.”
Distraught friends wished Roberts a happy birthday “in heaven”, with one writing on Facebook: “May you have the best time of your life up there and party hard for your 13th.”
Flowers and a tie, part of Roberts’ school uniform, were left at a memorial near where his body was found. Paying tribute on social media, a family friend wrote: “You were such a sweet boy and would put such big smiles on people’s faces. I can’t believe the pain your family is going through.”