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Boy charged with murder over grandmother stabbing

Five teens arrested

The husband of Vyleen White, who was stabbed to death at a Queensland shopping centre, says the alleged assailant “didn’t just kill her, he killed four of us with her”.

Victor White said his 70-year-old wife and mother of three had popped into the shops to pick up a few items with their six-year-old granddaughter when she was fatally stabbed in the chest in a car park in Redbank Plains, near Brisbane.

Speaking to A Current Affair on Monday night, the family revealed the “small, frail” woman had walked back to her car to double check it was locked when she was confronted by the alleged attacker.

“All I knew, she went to [the] shop to get a few quick items and sitting here, hearing all police sirens going on and not long after, I get the knock on [the] door saying she was gone,” he said.

“When this particular animal stabbed my wife, he stabbed four of us in the heart.

“He didn’t just kill her, he killed four of us with her.

“Justice has to be done, not for my sake, for the memory of Vyleen.”

Murder charge

Police have charged five teenage boys in relation to the alleged fatal stabbing and robbery, which happened in front of the six-year-old girl.

A 16-year-old boy from Bellbird Park has been charged with murder, stealing and unlawful use of a motor vehicle. He will appear in the Ipswich Children’s Court on Tuesday.

Two 16-year-olds and a 15-year-old boy have been charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle. They will also face court on Tuesday.

A 15-year-old boy was earlier charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle after he handed himself in to the Ipswich police station on Sunday night.

White was with her six-year-old granddaughter at Town Square Redbank Plains Shopping Centre when she was allegedly stabbed and died at the scene late on Saturday.

The girl was unharmed.

Victor White has lost his wife of 50 years. Photo: Channel Nine

One of White’s three daughters, Julie Ryan, said her “small, frail” mother handed over her car keys.

“They didn’t take her bag, wallet, nothing, so why did they need to [allegedly] kill her?”

Another daughter, Cindy Micallef, said her mother would have gladly given up her car.

“She would have said ‘here’s the keys’. She would have said ‘I don’t care, take it’, as long as we are safe.

“She would have prayed for the offenders.”

Micallef said her mother “had a love for people, for God and Jesus and her love was just what kept us all alive.

“Mum would do anything for anybody, she would literally move heaven and earth for us,” she said.

“Whatever I can do to make a difference for mum, that’s my mission.”

Micallef said her niece and White’s six-year-old granddaughter “deserves a medal” for running to seek help.

She “just ran and screamed at the top of her lungs and of all people she found a doctor”.

“This little girl has had her heart shattered, we are all shattered.”

Five teenage boys have been charged in relation to Vyleen White’s allegedly stolen car.

Detectives had earlier released CCTV footage of four youths in a Hyundai Getz, allegedly stolen from White.

“Sadly the motive was to steal a Hyundai Getz,” Detective Acting Superintendent Heath McQueensaid of the fatal stabbing.

“I stand before you today talking to you about a murder of a grandmother in front of a six-year-old … and the result was a stolen Hyundai Getz – that is the motive.”

McQueen described it as a “callous, cowardly, violent crime”.

“She was a loving, family woman,” he said.

“She was taking her granddaughter to the shops. This is senseless violence.”

-with AAP

Topics: Queensland
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