Elderly woman stabs boy to death in Basel

The University Children's Hospital Basel, where the boy died on Thursday. © Keystone / Georgios Kefalas

A seven-year-old boy was fatally stabbed on Thursday afternoon on a street in Basel. A 75-year-old woman handed herself in to police as the self-confessed culprit.

The incident happened around 12:45 pm on Thursday afternoon, when the boy, who was walking home alone from his primary school, was suddenly attacked.

After being found by a teacher who was cycling past, emergency services were called to the scene and a doctor tried to revive the boy, to no avail. He died from his injuries shortly after undergoing emergency surgery at the University Children’s Hospital Basel.

Police began a search for a woman who had been seen leaving the scene of the crime, but not long after, the 75-year-old Swiss handed herself into authorities to be arrested.

So far police have no clues as to why the woman stabbed the boy, how the scene unfolded, and whether there is any relation between the pair. 

Witnesses are encouraged to come forward with any further information.