Teenager dies after fight in street
An autistic teenager whose family took him away from a life of violence in Leicester has died following a fight in a Yorkshire village.
David Cox suffered fatal injuries after a violent altercation in Bessacarr, near Doncaster. The 18-year-old, formerly of the Saffron Lane estate, suffered from Asperger's syndrome.
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David Cox
His parents Clive and Heidi took him away from Leicester two years ago because he was regularly being attacked by other teenagers.
Speaking to the Mercury last night, Mr Cox, 42, said: "He loved Leicester and he didn't want to leave, but he was being assaulted and picked on a lot.
"We moved to Yorkshire because we needed to get a better life for him. We were told this was a better place."
David had been out with his sister, Carrie-Anne, 16, and her boyfriend, Nathan, in Bessacarr when the assault took place, at 10.15pm on Monday. He was taken to a Doncaster hospital where he was kept on life-support for 24 hours.
Mr Cox said Nathan, 19, had tried to step in to protect David by shielding him. Nathan suffered a broken hand in the incident.
Mr Cox was on the scene within 10 minutes of the attack and tried to revive his son.
He said: "He died of a brain haemorrhage. He probably had no oxygen going to his brain from the moment he hit the road.
"It seems one of the other lads hit him and he hit back and got knocked down."
Clive said they would be bringing David back to Leicester to bury him.
He said: "The sad thing was, he was scared of going outside and hardly ever went out.
"Because of his condition, he thought he was living in an alien world up here because of the way people spoke.
"All he ever talked about was Leicester. He didn't want to leave. So we're going to be taking him back."
Youngsters with Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism, have a short attention span and also find it hard to get on with others.
Five years ago, the Cox family appeared in the Leicester Mercury, saying the education system was letting let David down.
Between the ages of five and 13, David attended four Leicester schools. One expelled him and two asked his parents to take him out of the school.
Yesterday, Clive said: "David was a lovable kid – and a little monster at times. He was struggling with himself because he was frustrated – he just wanted to be like any other 18-year-old but, of course, he wasn't.
"But for this to happen – it's undescribable.
"I tried to take my son away from violence and this is what happened."
A spokesman for South Yorkshire police said: "An 18-year-old man has died after he sustained serious head injuries following an altercation involving a group of teenagers at about 10.15pm on Monday.
"The three men, all aged 18 or 19, who were arrested on suspicion of assault have been released on bail pending further inquiries."
11 Comments
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by Lilly, Pete, Chris, Becky & Kai, Leicester
Friday, June 05 2009, 2:57PM
“Sorry to hear about your sad loss, our thoughts are with Heidi, Clive and family. What a terrible thing to happen! We hope that the idiots that did this are caught and dealt with!! Take care xxxx”
by polly, leicester
Friday, June 05 2009, 12:19PM
“having known david since he was a very little boy i am myself struggling to come to terms with this.nothing will bring david back all we can hope for is that his attackers dont walk away from this but i can see the system letting david and his family down just like they have done all his life.my prayers and love are with heidi,clive,robert,carrie and jon.god bless you david until we meet again one day xxx”
by Katy, Leicester,Riverside school
Friday, June 05 2009, 10:38AM
“I think this is Discusting This was my cousin And i think his life has been taken away by some idiots. Even noo he was already ill as it was why cant we stop this?? .. R.I.P COUISN DAVID allways rembered and never ever 4gottern :( love u from katy xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx :( r,i.p darlin i <3 u”
by Scott M, Leeds
Thursday, June 04 2009, 2:56PM
“he might of found it hard to get on with other, but he was like fam to me!! i swer down when i find out who did this yeh.. there done.. watch!!!!”
by Val Hirst, Leicester
Thursday, June 04 2009, 2:46PM
“This is terrible. I know David's grandmother and she is absolutely devastated. I know people with Asperger's Syndrome and so I know how some poeple react. These yobs who killed David should be imprisoned for a long time (or something more drastic done to them), It is time for action....., yeah, right and I saw a pig flying past!!”
by Gabrielle Millward, nottingham,hucknall
Thursday, June 04 2009, 1:53PM
“he was a brillant lad i loved him to peices though i barely knew him made me laugh alot an i hope i made him laugh we had some good jokes an i will miss him more then hell ever see ... the people who did this need 2 be killed i dont respect how anyone could do this 2 some like him its sad its ruined alot of peoples life for the loss of a brillant lad an hell be missed deeply but always in peoples hearts :( xxxxxx”
by leanne, leicester
Thursday, June 04 2009, 1:33PM
“i dint no david but i new his sister and friends he will be missed so much, the boys who did this need locking up for what they have done for life with no chance to get out wot so eva. a lovely family have lost there son and my heart goes to them and the friends that new him aswell xxx R.I.P DAVID xxx”
by CJ, Leics
Thursday, June 04 2009, 12:34PM
“Asperger's syndrome (AS) is a very hard condition to deal with, I have worked with students with this condition in the past. They will say things which to them seem to be honest and true, but to to us offensive, therefore this can lead into fights with peer groups. This is more then likely what had happened in this tragic case. AS suffers have no visual defect, therefore you wouldn¿t know they had AS, the people he took on mite not have know this, but there is no excuse for what they did and I hope they are found and thoughts to the family.”
by Kotecha, Leicester
Thursday, June 04 2009, 12:21PM
“I would echo these comments. As it's not a visible disability, the general publics' perception is often misplaced. Organisations like the National Autistic Society are doing a great deal to raise awareness and they need to be supported. The education system isn't geared up to provide sufficient support to this ever growing condition.”
by Suzanne Mitchell, Leicestershire
Thursday, June 04 2009, 11:15AM
“We too have a 21 year old son with Asperger's who attended an MLD school in Leicester (of which we hold the highest praise for the way in which they offered an holistic, caring approach). As a child I grew up in 'leafy' Bessacarr.
The battle against the lack of educated information in which the general public perceive this disability, is to us of significance in cases, like this that find their way into the media.
Regardless of education and environment, the responsibility of having a child with this spectrum of disability, always rests firmly on the shoulders of the family and this remains even more so when the child enters into adulthood.
Our condolences lay with Davids family.”