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24th Murdered London Teenager: "CJ" Father in Impassioned Plea to Prime Minister
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by Christina 123 | August 24, 2008 at 08:20 am
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The grief-stricken father of tragic murdered Walthamstow teenager, Charles Hendricks, Snr, 55, whose son, Charles Junior "CJ" Hendricks,18, was stabbed by a single knife wound last month, to become England's 24th teenage street murder victim, has made a heartfelt plea to Prime Minister Gordon Brown to do something to stop the violence sweeping the country. Since "CJ's death, two more teenagers have been stabbed to death, one 16, in Liverpool and one 14 year-old in Hackney.
HE father of murdered teenager CJ Hendricks is calling for direct action be taken to prevent more senseless deaths.Charles Hendricks Snr, 55, is trying to come to terms with the death of his son - who was stabbed near Walthamstow bus station - and is considering how he can use his son’s tragic death to create positive change.
He is writing an impassioned letter to the Prime Minister demanding more direct action to prevent knife crime, and is considering how he can campaign against knife crime on behalf of his son.
He said: “The teenagers must stop what they are doing. The Government finds ways to try to pressurise teenagers but it needs to be something stronger than what they are doing. The message is not strong enough. They can build spaceships to go on the moon - why can’t they sort a problem like this out?
“The future is very black for the teenagers of today. And with the credit crunch, crime will be on the increase.”
The Gangs: You and Your Child” booklet suggests looking out for teenagers using new slang words, a new nickname and acquiring possessions or money. And parents are advised to become more involved in their child's life, familiarising themselves with their friends.
But Mr Hendricks, from Leytonstone, said that the message will fall on deaf ears because teenagers don’t listen to their parents.
He said: “Most of them don’t communicate with their parents. The media is putting out the message not to carry knives but teenagers don’t get the news.
“They need to target the teenagers through a medium they have access to and fund the right time of day when there will be an audience of young people. Many teenagers like their walkmans, so they could do more on the radio.”
Hundreds of tributes have been made to the teenager on social networking group Facebook, and dozens of flowers, cards and items belonging to the teenager were left as a memorial near the scene of his death.
Mr Hendricks added: “I never realised he had so many friends. A lot of people knew and respected him, so something good has to come out of it.”
- A 16-year-old boy has been remanded in custody charged with the murder of Charles 'CJ' Hendricks. The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was remanded in custody until December 8 when he will appear at the Old Bailey.
Two other boys, aged 16 and 17, remain in police custody. A 19-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy have been bailed until later this month pending further inquiries.
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Six youths have been arrested by police following a disturbance at an impromptu tribute site set up to Charles Junior "CJ" Hendricks at the spot were the 18-year-old youth was brutally stabbed to death, it has been revealed.
The youths had been involved in an alleged attempted mugging of a twelve year-old girl which led to a fight breaking out, it has been claimed by a local paper.
[q urlhttp://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/3626859.WALTHAMSTOW__Youths_arrested_at_murder_scene/]
A DISTURBANCE near the site where tributes to murdered teenager Charles Junior 'CJ' Hendricks have been laid has led to arrests.
A witness said there was shouting at the scene beside Walthamstow Central bus station around 5.30pm today (Thursday).
Police arrived in two vans and three cars and around six youths were taken away. [/q]
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It has now been revealed that police believe "CJ" Hendricks the tragic teenager killed by a single stab wound knew his killer.
A teenager stabbed to death near an Olympic party site probably knew his attackers, police sources said last night.
Charles Junior Hendricks, - known as CJ - was knifed close to a park in Walthamstow, East London, on Sunday at 1.40am. Police sources fear CJ was stabbed by members of a gang after a fall-out.
Met police chief John Sandlin last night appealed for witnesses.
Friends and family yesterday left cards and flowers in tribute to the 18-year-old student. CJ's gran, Weda Campbell, said: "He was a beautiful boy. I'm telling you this from my heart."
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It is suspected today that the 24th victim of knife and gun crime, Charles Junior"CJ" Hendricks, 18, found in a pool of blood in Waltham on Saturday, may have been a victim of turf wars. Police say they are keeping an open mind over the motive until the post mortem has established exact cause of death. Two men aged 19 and 17 have been arrested in connection with the incident.
The youth's tragic death has sparked off a race row, with some community leaders accusing the police of "letting black boys die", a claim angrily denied by the police. Not all of the teenage victims have been black, some have been Asian, some working-class, some middle-class.
Yesterday, his friends said CJ, as he was known, was not a gang member but the victim of rivalry between two groups.One woman, visiting the spot where he was killed, said: "It's called gang war. He wasn't in a gang himself, but he got caught up in something that was going on, he was in between something."
Another friend, Tiffeny Alexander, 20, an admin worker, said: "He never started any trouble. He wasn't a follower, he was a leader, and he always tried to tell everyone the right things to do. He had just passed his college exams. Out of everyone I know he was doing well with his life.
"What has happened was completely unpredictable, because he doesn't cause trouble and obviously the trouble has come to him. He had loads of friends and he was really popular."
Police arrested two youths aged 17 and 19 in connection with the attack, but the latter was yesterday released on bail.
The Metropolitan police said detectives were waiting for the results of a postmortem examination and were keeping an open mind about why Hendricks was killed
The wave of youth knife crime continues in England with an 18 year-old youth stabbed to death in Walthamstow, East London in the early hours of today. Officials have cancelled Olympic handover ceremonies in Waltham Town Square.
Waltham Forest is one of the planned venues of the London 2012 Games.
Two men aged 20 and 17 have been arrested in connection with the crime.
UPDATE: The youth has been named:
Charles Junior Hendricks, known to his friends as CJ, was found by police on a routine patrol near a bus garage in Walthamstow.
Officers had noticed two or three men running away from a street at around 1.40am and found the teenager lying on the pavement suffering from a single stab wound.
It is understood the victim knew his attackers and the stabbing may have happened following a "petty dispute".
Charles became the 24th teenager to be murdered in London this year, 18 of whom have been fatally stabbed. A total of 26 teenagers were killed in London last year. [/q]
An 18-year-old man has been stabbed to death near a bus garage in Walthamstow, east London.A routine police patrol found the teenager lying wounded near Selborne Road at 0140 BST. He was pronounced dead in hospital.
A man in his 20s and a 17-year-old youth have been arrested in connection with the incident and are in custody.
The council leader is now calling for a meeting with other local authority chiefs to tackle knife crime.
The 18-year-old victim is the 24th teenager to be killed in a stabbing or a shooting in London this year.
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Christina 123
LONDON, United Kingdom
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at 09:09 on August 24th, 2008
Christina 123, I like this story. "London 24 killed by knife or shooting" I can't believe it.
at 12:44 on August 24th, 2008
Thanks, SOLARLIFE! It is a worrying trend.
at 10:11 on August 24th, 2008
Christina 123, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 12:46 on August 24th, 2008
Thanks, Jordan!
at 08:10 on August 27th, 2008
Why is this good stuff. What do you like about this story, if this was your family member sure you would feel different. Christina, you have obviously been given the story from a third party.
at 16:52 on August 24th, 2008
Thanks for the update.
at 18:20 on August 24th, 2008
cj was a good yout. but i beleve his mum was the main reasion that he was killed .. with his older brother... cj was a nice yout who like football.. i know cj from abbots park and base.. also wallwood road e11.. where he lived.. but its verry sad to see him gone.. miss u cj
at 07:43 on August 26th, 2008
For the person who said cj got killed because of his mum and older brother is rubbish, i have known the family for years and they have always tried there best in life and always looked after their kids.
My heart goes out to all the family!x
at 08:36 on August 26th, 2008
Whatever the case, now is definately not the time to be pointing fingers at any one LET ALONE his own family members....its dis-respectful and out of order becuase at the end of the day CJ was still stabbed....no one desreves to loose a son, brother, cousin or friend ...NO ONE...
I find it VERY DIS-REPECTFUL, CHEEKY, and RUDE that you can leave such a comment like that about CJ's family..
I never knew CJ but i went to school with his sister and I think it would be nice to keep CJ's family and friends in mind and let them know that they have support....im sure its a hard enough time for them already...what they need right now is support and strength to help them through this difficult time.
I can only imagine what the family is going through right now....my deepest sympathy goes out to all of CJ's family and friends and I hope justice is done...for the sake of him and his family.
R.I.P. CJ xx
at 04:06 on August 25th, 2008
These guys are doing everyone a favour by bypassing future welfare costs for these people. Let's be frank: they would either cost a fortune in welfare and benefits to get them even close to behaving normally, or they would end up in prison, costing a small fortune every year to keep any eye on them. Ask yourself: why did they come to Britain to fail so spectacularly in contributing to the economy and society?
at 07:00 on August 25th, 2008
it is sad that there are people like you who can come up with such sarcastic comments about this problem...when you say 'why did they come to Britain to fail', I believe you say that because you are ignorant of the history of this country....may I remind you that their forefathers built our london underground amonsgt many other big projects and were brought here against their own will by British colonial master who used them as slave labour to build this great country....this country owes them a great deal because of the work their fathers and grand father have done...
at 07:39 on August 25th, 2008
You tell a tale b-honest: the vast majority of Britain's black community have arrived in two waves (all post slavery): the 1950s, and most recently, the 1990s until now. They arrive as legal migrants to work, not as endentured slaves as you portray. They arrive under the very same conditions as hundreds of thousands of other people from all over the world, from many races, ethnicities. That this one community has gone so badly wrong cannot be put down to slavery, though that may seem like an easy excuse. It is in fact down to culture and expectations. And for that matter we see just the same problems with the black community in every western nation, so it can't just be Britain's fault. Something else is happening.
at 06:00 on August 26th, 2008
Mr Frank Fortune.
It's easy to point the finger and say that it's the colour of his skin that makes a man bad or that if there were no blacks in Britain then there would be no knife crime but do you really believe that!? You talk as if everyone in the black community is running around stabbing each other. It's a minority and nothing to do with slavery. How naive and small minded can you seriously be!? The knife is not racist, you clearly are. The bottom line is that you (although you'd like to) can do nothing to get all of the blacks out of England so you sit by your computer trying to wind us up by putting hateful comments on a sad story to offend the family in mourning..
Really big of you...
Give yourself a pat on the back. I pity you, fool!
at 04:42 on August 25th, 2008
Looks like the UK government has given up on these guys as official policy:
at 04:44 on August 25th, 2008
An independent adviser to the Home Office has accused politicians of "leaving black youths to die" by cutting funding to community groups.
Dr Derrick Campbell said funds earmarked for community cohesion were not going to the right organisations.
His comments come as police appealed for calm in Birmingham after three gang-related incidents - including two deaths - in the West Midlands in 24 hours.
Dr Campbell told the BBC: "We have clear evidence of organisations which used to be funded and have delivered on outcomes but have suddenly not been supported.
"And we have to ask the question whether there seems to be an acceptance that if another black youth is killed they are just another one that we don't have to worry about.
"Black youths within this country have been left to die. And that's a very strong statement but it's a statement that seems to be borne out through evidence about black youths who seem to be at the top of the list when it comes to our youngsters being killed.
"Now we're asking very serious questions of national government and local government as to why it seems that resources that have been allocated for community cohesion and other activities have not been going to those organisations."
Dr Campbell is chairman of the National Independent Advisory Group on Criminal Use of Firearms, which advises the Home Office and the security services.
He said there was hard evidence from community groups in the Birmingham area that their funding was being cut - a situation which he said was reflected nationally.
The three incidents in the West Midlands all involving black youths included the shooting dead of Dimitri Foskin, 24, in the Newtown area of Birmingham on Saturday night.
at 06:52 on August 25th, 2008
I totally agree with Dr Campbel....we like many other churches are based in east london and have opened our doors to youths to come in weekly away from the sreets to talk about issues that concern them and also to play games like table tennis, pool and boards games. Our Project is being funded totally by ourselves with absolutely no funding from the government. We have had as many as 30 youths coming in weekly and they are excited about the Project.
If we had funding from the government there are many more plans we would love to put into place for these young men and women which will help address issues that concern them, reshaping their lives and giving them hope for the future.
I believe a major break through to this knife and gun crime problem would be if the government can target local organisations like churches (etc etc) that are already running Youth Community Projects and channel some funding to help support them which will encourage other organisations to partake in such projects
at 08:27 on August 25th, 2008
I grew up on housing estates in the borough of waltham forest plagued by drugs and gangs. People need hope and to be treated with respect the people that live in the houses surrounding housing estates look down on the residents. As an adult moving to one you would probably be inclined to make the effort and communicate with your near neighbours that isnt how you feel when you grow up being looked down on as a small child . You become resentful, angry and want to work your way "up" unfortunately some sacrefice morality to reach that aim. I thought about it myself but managed not to do (much) scummy stuff. I doubt society will appologise but that would help together with money, jobs and the knowledge that people who work doing ordinary jobs make the world go round not ceo's or celebrity drug addicts. Most of the fences in walthamstow are white anyhow
at 16:08 on August 25th, 2008
What is the answer? Bear in mind, most crime (97%) is committed by "white" perpetrators, it is just that this particular crime seems to be black-focused. Why? Is it an inheritance from the older hardened yardie gangster, or is it to do with urban deprivation? If the tragic victim in this crime had been white, would it have been different, and if so, why?
at 08:41 on August 25th, 2008
Christina 123, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 16:01 on August 25th, 2008
Thanks, Paschen!
at 05:49 on August 26th, 2008
It's a shame that some people can be so disrespectful when something like this happens. Some of the comments are disgusting. Unbelievable. I suppose they do it for a reaction. I chose to not rise to this as they are just immature and not worth the time.
My prayers go out to the family of the victim and hopefully this knife culture will become a thing of the past one day.
at 07:23 on August 26th, 2008
CJ was a nice guy he neva started shit with any1. I used to play footy with him b4 he always had smile on his face. cant belive that a good guy gets killed while dikheads live
at 08:17 on August 26th, 2008
YOU ALL ARE MISSING THE POINT. MY COUSIN IS NO LONGER WITH US AND WE NEED TO RESPECT THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS. EVERYONE CAN MAKE JUDGEMENT, BUT GOD WILL DEAL WITH EVERYONE WHO HAS DONE WRONG.
TALKING WILL NOT BRING BACK MY COUSIN, BUT UNTIL YOU ALL LEARN TO RESPECT YOURSELVES AND THEN OTHERS, MAYBE THE WORLD WOULD BE A BETTER PLACE.
at 08:23 on August 26th, 2008
All those who are involved in postcode wars, what happens to the families. You are causing a divide and breaking up families because of your arrogant, disrespectful attitude to everyone.
What went wrong? You all go around like you own everything? Get a life, without your mother and father you would not be here. What happens to your children's children if you are killing tomorrows youth.
Wake up, before it is too late. Only you can make the change.
at 04:10 on August 27th, 2008
i show my respect too cj , I didn't know him.. but i did see him quite often . CJ looked like the one who would never start trouble, he had his own mind, no one thought for him. i just wonder why does bad things always happen to good people, Cj does deserve to stil be living as he did want to do something with his life, it's the people who killed who deserves to be in trouble as they do not wan't to make there life worth anything. my heart goes out to CJ . i hope the family could recover from such an spiteful pain. :( . My love goes out to you all. And CJ... I'm not going to say byee.. As I don't believe this is the end, but what I am going to say Is.. TILL WE MEET AGAIN . RiP. :( [X X X X] <3
at 13:55 on August 28th, 2008
I am white and I find Frank Fortunes comments unacceptable. There are people who come on these comment boards to cause strife and their ignorance deserves to be ignored. The problem is not black or white just a general disregard for life in these times, I am very sad to see another boy killed for no reason and wonder how many more before we can sort this out. My thoughts are with his family and friends.
at 00:45 on August 29th, 2008
Charles was a young, handsome and bubbly character and his death is a great loss, my thoughts go out to your family Charles. I went to construction college with Charles, built walls, fences and completed loads of projects with Charles and can honestly say Charles was a hard working young man who was trying to make something of his life. He often spoke of his love for carpentry and how he wished to become a property developer or work with his father who i believe is also a carpenter. I echo some comments that were made above Charles was definately a leader and he will be dearly missed.
For those who say if these boys are not involved in gangs then the stabbing wouldn't happen, you need to wake up and see that the dangers our young face on the streets are un imaginable. They are living in times that they can be killed just for (screwing some one) giving someone a bad look, stepping on someones shoe or even saying the wrong thing to the wrong person. It is very easy to dismiss young black boys being murdered by associating them with gangs and so on.
Some say its a small minority causing these problems, I agree but the problem is getting worse and will get worse in the years to come which will result in the small minority becoming a large minority or worse a small majority.
You ask what the answer is, to be honest i dont think anything can be done to stop this problem, there are too many factors which have to come together before any meaningful results can be achieved ( government, parents, youth groups, businesses and the education system ). If we are trully serious about tackling this problem then all these groups need to tackle it together and until that happens i'm sorry to say the problem WILL GET WORSE.
It saddens me to say that i believe in five to ten years time it will be common for us to hear that a school kid has been killed in school,
I have never ever heard a black person use slavery as an excuse for the problems our young are facing today. And if they do then they are talking rubbish, this has nothing, i repeat nothing to do with slavery. I would like to know what culture and who's expectations you are refering to Frank Fortune.
Is it the same culture and expectations that causes the same problem for young boys in Glasgow.
Labeling it black on black crime does not help, its a problem that is affecting our young black and white. I think you will find poverty is more of a factor towards the causes rather than culture or expectation.
Rest in Peace Charles.
at 10:07 on September 2nd, 2008
i cant believe that this tragic murder happened, but even worse i cant believe that we still have such small minded people living in the 21st century using phrases like those people, what the hell is that about you are the kind of people that this country doesnt need,
RIP CJ.XX
at 06:07 on February 19th, 2009
listen, cj was a good yout he was not into post code war, he was just around a croud. but there was a lot of heat around his house, and every1 knew who cj was and he was a great kid, but i dont think his mum brought him up 100%. they should of moved away from leytonstone a few years ago, there was shootings outside there house because of the people wat learch around that road, even 1 time a shot was fired thru the window... and they still living there with there kids, not because of the family itself but the people who u invite to your home. and cj i hope you rest in peace. because its not your fault. RIP FAM!