I can’t grieve until I know what happened, says mother of boy found dead in Thames

The mother of a student whose body was recovered from the Thames days after his 18th birthday has appealed for information over his death.

Hayley Johnson, 43, says she is unable to grieve until she knows what happened to Kane. Police are treating the death as “unexplained” and have appealed for information. He left home in Dagenham on April 10. His body was found near Lambeth Bridge on Easter Sunday, April 21.

Ms Johnson said Kane, who was studying performing arts and maths at New City College Redbridge, had “every reason to come home”.

She told the Standard: “I can’t grieve until I know his last movements. I feel like crying as a mum but those tears won’t come out. When Kane didn’t come home for his birthday, we knew something was stopping him but never explored he might be dead.

“Kane had every reason to come home. He had learnt all of his lines for his college play. He really found his vocation in life. He was a good boy and never brought trouble.”

CCTV shows Kane outside Longbridge Food and Wine shop in Longbridge Road just before midnight on the day he left home. He was seen at a bus stop talking to a white male wearing grey joggers, a white T-shirt and black trainers. A short time later, the man walked in the direction of Becontree Avenue.

Police are keen to hear from anyone who was at the bus stop, particularly the man who spoke with Kane before he boarded a N15 bus to central London.

An inquest was opened and adjourned last week to a provisional date in December. Detective Sergeant Fiona Robinson said there was no indication of how or why Kane ended up at Lambeth Bridge.

Friends were concerned he had removed his social media profiles and deactivated his phone account, she said, adding: “I believe people may be able to help fill in the blanks in our timeline, which would, at the very least, bring a measure of comfort to Kane’s family.”