Singapore teen charged with murder of 13-year-old schoolmate, remanded for psychiatric assessment

The 16-year-old boy, who attended the elite River Valley High School, will return to court next month

The cause of death has not been confirmed but police on Monday said they seized an axe as a case exhibit

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Students leave the River Valley High School on Monday after a 13-year-old boy was found dead on the campus. Photo: AFP

Published: 11:19am, 20 Jul 2021Updated: 6:20pm, 20 Jul 2021

A 16-year-old Singaporean boy was on Tuesday charged with murdering a 13-year-old boy who attended the same prestigious school.

Court documents said the boy was allegedly killed between 11.16am and 11.45am on Monday in a toilet at the elite River Valley High School.

The cause of death has not been confirmed but police on Monday said they had seized an axe as a case exhibit.

He attended the court hearing on Tuesday via a video link from remand. He was emotionless during the proceedings, and appeared tired and dishevelled. His parents were not present during the hearing.

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

A police prosecutor said the 16-year-old was previously a patient at Singapore’s Institute of Mental Health after attempting to commit suicide.

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.