SINGAPORE - After a 16-year-old River Valley High School student was charged with murdering a schoolmate three years his junior on Tuesday morning (July 20), Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam posted about the incident on Facebook, calling it "one of the worst things that can happen to parents".

"It's completely shocking because safety is assumed and normally (in Singapore anyway) assured," he wrote.

"The attacker is also a young boy, (16), he has been charged today. As (the Attorney-General's Chambers) told the court, there is some history of mental health issues."

Preliminary investigations suggest the 16-year-old had purchased the axe online, he said.

"But we will know the full facts only after investigations are completed."

The police had said on Monday that they had seized an axe at the school.

The minister added: "We all grieve with the parents of the boy who was killed. It's difficult to even describe the true extent of their grief."

The 16-year-old appeared in court via video link on Tuesday morning at about 10am and was accused of murdering the 13-year-old at a level four toilet in the school between 11.16am and 11.44am on Monday.

The accused cannot be named as he is under 18 years of age.

The prosecution asked that the accused be remanded at Complex Medical Centre for psychiatric observation.

He told the court that preliminary investigations revealed that the 16-year-old had been previously assessed at the Institute of Mental Health in 2019 after he had attempted to commit suicide.

The judge ordered the accused to be remanded for psychiatric observation for three weeks and to return to court on Aug 10.

Those aged below 18 will not get the death sentence for murder, but could be given life imprisonment instead.

Getting help

National Care Hotline: 1800-202-6868 (8am - 12am)

Mental well-being

Fei Yue's Online Counselling Service: eC2.sg website (Mon to Fri, 10am to 12pm, 2pm to 5pm)
Institute of Mental Health's Mental Health Helpline: 6389-2222 (24 hours)
Samaritans of Singapore: 1800-221-4444 (24 hours) /1-767 (24 hours)
Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019 (Mon to Fri, 9am to 6pm)
Silver Ribbon Singapore: 6386-1928/6509-0271 (Mon to Fri, 9am to 6pm)
Tinkle Friend: 1800-274-4788 (Mon to Fri, 2.30pm to 5pm)/ Tinkle Friend website (Mon to Thu, 2.30pm to 7pm and Fri, 2.30pm to 5pm)

Counselling

TOUCHline (Counselling): 1800-377-2252 (Mon to Fri, 9am to 6pm)
Care Corner Counselling Centre (Mandarin): 1800-353-5800 (Daily, 10am to 10pm)