Christina Edkins: Man charged with bus stabbing murder
A man has been charged with murdering a 16-year-old girl on a rush-hour bus in Birmingham.
Christina Edkins was stabbed to death on board the bus on Hagley Road while on her way to Leasowes High School in Halesowen on 7 March. She is understood to have boarded the bus minutes before the attack, which happened at about 07:40 GMT. Phillip Simelane, 22, from Walsall, appeared before Birmingham Crown Court earlier. He was remanded in custody to a secure mental health unit. Mr Simelane is due back at the court on 31 May. Wore purple Outside court, Det Supt Richard Baker said police would continue to work and support Christina's family. Christina died from a single stab wound to the chest, post-mortem examination results have shown. An inquest into her death was opened and adjourned on Thursday. All of the 1,000 pupils at Leasowes turned up to school on Friday wearing purple, which Christina's friends said had been her favourite colour. Friends also sold cakes and made purple ribbons to raise money towards a memorial fund for Christina.