Police investigate death at school of boy

Detectives began an investigation yesterday into the death of a 12-year-old boy after a fight at school.

Rashid Femi was taken to hospital after the incident at Chingford Foundation School in east London but was declared dead on arrival.

"He went to school and never came back. He was a lovely boy, he wouldn't hurt anybody," his mother, Fatma, 37, said last night.

His family said they were still in the dark as to exactly what happened but had heard there was "fighting and squabbling". By the time paramedics arrived at the school, Rashid was beyond saving.

A spokesman for Scotland Yard said: "It is understood at this stage the boy was involved in a dispute with a fellow pupil at his school. The exact circumstances of the incident have yet to be clarified."

A post-mortem examination was being held yesterday at Walthamstow to determine how Rashid died.

Ayse Ozalp, a cousin of his father, Salahi Femi, 46, said the family were devastated by the death of the middle of their three children. "They are just crying and emotional," she said. "He was lovely. He was funny, loved football. He was just a joy really. It's terrible."

The youngster, she added, had surgery to correct a hole in his heart in 1995 and a leaky valve three years ago. "The school knew. I filled it in on the forms," said Mrs Femi. "They should have kept an eye on him. Where were the teachers?"

Last night, Clive Moore, headteacher of the school whose most famous former pupil is the England football captain, David Beckham, said they had begun to investigate Wednesday's incident.

"The school will be giving its full support to his family as well as other pupils and staff during this difficult period," Mr Moore said.

The grant-maintained, self-governing school, which caters to 1,200 pupils aged 11 to 18, was praised as "popular and improving" with a "friendly and welcoming atmosphere" after its latest Ofsted inspection in 1998.