A harrowing incident has left the community of Melbourne reeling after the tragic death of 15-year-old Darweish Mohamed, who succumbed to alleged stab wounds outside a community hospital in Craigieburn on Wednesday night. The teenager's passing has sent shockwaves through the region, with emergency services rushing to the scene at approximately 7:50pm.
Police have confirmed that two individuals have been charged in connection with the incident, including a 16-year-old boy from Victoria's Goulburn Valley region, who has been remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear in a children's court. A separate charge of criminal damage by fire has also been laid against a 20-year-old man from Beveridge, who was granted bail to appear at Broadmeadows magistrates' court in December.
The family of Darweish Mohamed has received an outpouring of support, with a GoFundMe campaign launched by family friend Mohamed Bakhit to cover funeral expenses. The fundraiser, which had surpassed AU$37,000 towards a AU$60,000 goal by Friday morning, urged the community to keep Darweish and his family in their prayers, using the Arabic term 'du'as'. The campaign page expressed profound sorrow, stating, "No family should ever have to go through a loss like this."
Mount Ridley College, where Darweish was a student, will be supported by the education department, which acknowledged the profound impact of the tragedy. A spokesperson commented that "The death of any young person is a tragedy," and that the violent nature of the incident would be "extremely distressing for the local communities involved."
Further arrests were announced by police on Friday as part of the ongoing investigation. A 15-year-old girl from the Fawkner area was detained and subsequently charged with affray and theft of a motor vehicle, while she has been bailed to appear in a children's court. Separately, a 15-year-old boy from Craigieburn was arrested on Friday morning and is currently being interviewed by officers.
Authorities are also investigating a burnt-out car discovered at Oaklands Junction for potential links to the stabbing.