Woman held after teenager killed in 'random' stabbing

A woman was being questioned last night over the fatal stabbing of a 13-year-old girl while she walked across a public park to meet a friend.

Casey-Lyanne Kearney managed to call police on her mobile phone after the apparently random and unprovoked daylight attack in Doncaster's Elmfield Park but she died eight hours later in hospital from her injuries. Police said yesterday that a 26-year-old woman – who was known to social services – was being held on suspicion of assault. Officers declined to say if the woman had suspected psychiatric problems.

Casey-Lyanne left her home in Rossington at about midday on Tuesday, intending to catch the bus to Doncaster town centre to meet a friend and got off near the park, said senior investigating officer Det Supt Terry Mann. "The next part we know is that, at 18 minutes past one, a call is received via South Yorkshire Police switchboard from Casey herself to say that she had been stabbed," he said.

A member of the public walked past at the same time and called an ambulance after what police said was an "isolated, random and unprovoked" attack.

The teenager, who was on half-term break, was treated at the scene before being taken to hospital where she died later that day at 9.25pm.

A police tent could be seen in the park, which remained sealed off yesterday, just a few metres from a play area. Knives were found in the park that may have been used in the stabbing, police said.

Floral tributes were left at the park yesterday, including one from the passer-by who found the teenager. It said: "We found you, we tried to help you, we didn't know you, but we loved you."

Doncaster council said that the woman who had been arrested was known to "a number of local public agencies".