The parents of 16-year-old knife victim Shakilus Townsend have paid an emotional thank you to a woman who scared off his attackers and desperately tried to save him.
Nicola Dyer and husband Derek on Friday night visited the scene of their son's death in Thornton Heath, south London.
They and other relatives of the murdered teenager thanked mother of four Sharon Simpson, 47, for her brave actions.
Ms Simpson said: "There was crying and pain. They said he was a very happy guy, he was nice."
She said she saw two teenage boys, whose faces were covered, beating Shakilus with a baseball bat and kicking and punching him as he lay on the ground last Thursday.
Ms Simpson said: "I said to them don't slap him, don't hit him at all. I said leave him alone."
She added: "I thought that could have been one of mine. I tried to save him but I couldn't."
Ms Simpson told how she ran outside, causing his attackers to flee, giving her the opportunity to try to save Shakilus.
She tried to reassure him and staunched the bleeding from his stab wounds.
"The only thing he was talking about was his mum and that he didn't want to die. He knew he was going to die but I couldn't help him," she said.
