State Failures Blamed for Release of Child Killer Who Stabbed Young Man to Death

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The grieving parents of Nimroy Hendricks say a series of missed chances and poor decisions by authorities allowed a violent teenager, long known to social services and police, to remain free and ultimately kill their 24-year-old son.

An inquest into the fatal stabbing of Mr Hendricks, who a 14-year-old girl in Crawley attacked in October 2020, has highlighted numerous failings by local authorities and police forces, particularly in the days leading up to his death. The girl, legally referred to only as Child A, had a lengthy record of violent behaviour, had previously stabbed her mother, and was known to carry knives. Yet she was returned to unsupervised care and never received the intensive intervention experts recommended.

Child A was born in Birmingham and was known to children’s services from birth. Social services had already been involved with her mother before she gave birth. Reports of violent and aggressive behaviour began as early as six years old. By the time she was eight, she had been excluded from her third primary school. Arrests and police interventions followed, including one occasion where she was found carrying a knife.

In 2020, she stabbed her mother and set fire to her bedroom, which led to a period in secure juvenile custody. A psychological report following that incident warned she required therapy before she could safely return home. That report, however, was not passed on to authorities in West Sussex after her mother moved there. Upon her release, Child A was placed back in her mother’s care, despite clear and serious risks.

In the days leading up to the killing, she had again threatened to stab her mother and was reported missing, yet these were not treated with the urgency they demanded. Instead, her history of extreme behaviour continued to be overlooked.

System Breakdown

Speaking to Sky News, Nimroy’s father, also named Nimroy Hendricks, said: “They had all the warning signs. The system needs to change. If it doesn’t, sooner or later you’ll hear another parent like us.”

Nimroy’s mother, Lisa Hendricks, said she had read every line of the inquest report. “You wonder how he spent that time after being stabbed, after bleeding out, and dying.” Her voice trembled as she spoke of the pain and frustration. She warned that more violent incidents involving children would happen if authorities continued to ignore early warning signs.

“Far more serious interventions need to be put in place when children begin to flex those very dangerous muscles,” she said.

The family also referred to other recent tragic cases, such as that of 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, who killed three young children in Southport while known to services.

Child A’s troubled past is well documented. She had been arrested multiple times, had assaulted her own mother, and had been taken into police protection. Her behaviour was extreme and consistent, yet the necessary action to safeguard the public was never taken. Mrs Hendricks described handling her case as consistently “downplayed, downgraded, dismissed”.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which reviewed Sussex Police’s dealings with Child A, found no misconduct. But for the Hendricks family, that conclusion offers little reassurance. “We’ve been treated as if we should just go away and deal with it,” said Mrs Hendricks. “It feels like nobody cares.”

West Sussex County Council and Birmingham Children’s Trust issued public statements following the inquest. Vince Clark, interim executive director for children’s services in West Sussex, said they would reflect on the coroner’s conclusions. James Thomas, Chief Executive of Birmingham Children’s Trust, added that processes had been strengthened, particularly around information sharing between agencies when children relocate.

Despite those promises, Nimroy’s parents say they will not stop calling for real accountability. They hope that no other family will have to endure the same loss.