The 16-year-old will be remanded for psychiatric assessment and will return to court on August 10.

Under the Children and Young Persons Act, which covers young persons under the age of 18, neither of the boys can be named. The police on Monday said that preliminary investigations indicated the two boys did not know each other. 

Murder, punishable under Section 302(1) of the Penal Code, typically carries the death penalty in Singapore. However, offenders below 18 will be sentenced to life imprisonment instead, based on the Criminal Procedure Code.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday afternoon said investigations were ongoing “to find out the motivations behind this tragedy, and if something could have been done to avert it”.

“We place great emphasis on safety in our schools, and the well-being of teachers and students. Our education system is not only about good academic performance, but also helping our kids to grow into happy and well-adjusted persons,” he said in a statement on Facebook.

“If staff or students know a pupil or classmate who seems troubled or under stress, please let the principal or school counsellors know,” he added. “They will work together with the families to provide help.”

Timeline of how the incident unfolded

11.40am: The police receive a call for assistance from River Valley High School, located at 6 Boon Lay Avenue. Upon arrival, officers find a 13-year-old boy lying motionless with multiple wounds, at a toilet in the school. The boy is pronounced dead at the scene by a Singapore Civil Defence Force paramedic.

12pm: Police, including a crime scene investigation van and an ambulance, are seen at the school compound.

Around 1.30pm: Teachers inform students to return to their classrooms, regardless of what lessons they have after lunch.

Around 2.20pm: Media reports surface that a student had been allegedly attacked and killed by another student.

3.20pm: Fifteen cars, some belonging to parents, are also spotted near the back gate of the school. Parents say that they had not received an update from the school, but rushed down after getting phone text messages from their children and reading media reports. 

3.30pm: Students start to leave the school compound, after being kept indoors for their safety after the incident. They are ushered by school staff members and not allowed to speak to the media.

Around 3.45pm: Some parents who check the school’s parents’ portal see an update that a “serious incident” involving a Secondary 1 boy had taken place that morning. The school says that a Secondary 4 male student is assisting police in investigations. The school also urges parents not to speculate on the incident or post anything on social media.

4.30pm: Education Minister Chan Chun Sing says in a Facebook post that he was shocked to receive news of the “tragic incident” at the school. He adds that the Ministry of Education (MOE) is working with the police on the investigations and is also rendering support to students and staff members at the school.

5.19pm: The police issue a statement saying that they have arrested a 16-year-old Secondary 4 student for the alleged murder of another Secondary 1 boy. Preliminary investigations show that the two teenagers involved did not know each other. An axe is seized for investigations.

5.23pm: MOE and River Valley High School say in a joint statement that they are “deeply saddened” by the loss of one of its students. They add that they are unable to comment further due to ongoing investigations.

5.30pm: Chan arrives at the school.

6pm: A few more parents show up at the school. One parent says she was informed by teachers to arrive around then because the police needed a few hours to conduct interviews with students of the alleged assailant’s class.

6.15pm: Several more students are released from school. 

6.30pm: Chan speaks to the media at the school.

7pm: Chan leaves the school. The police hearse leaves shortly after.

Read the original article at Today Online.