The heartbroken mother of a teenager stabbed to death in Sydenham said his disability made him a target, as she paid tribute to her "beautiful boy."

Student Levi Ernest-Morrison, 17, was attacked just yards from his home at the junction of Hazel Grove and Sydenham Road while waiting for friends on Saturday evening.

His mother, who did not wish to be named, said Levi loved helping others despite his own additional needs, which included autism and a drop foot caused by nerve damage.

News Shopper: A picture from the crime scene on Saturday (@Ba_Ba_Bang)

He walked with a crutch, meaning he would have been unable to run from his attacker, which made him "like a target."

A 36-year-old woman remains in police custody after being arrested on suspicion of his murder on Sunday.

Levi’s mother said: “He was a beautiful boy with a beautiful heart.

“We are very much grieving at the moment. I am in shock, but I have to be strong for my younger ones.

“He was a beautiful person. You can ask anyone from his key worker to his school to the children to my neighbours.

“My son was autistic and disabled so it hurts more. He has got a foot drop and damaged the side of his leg.

“I am his mother. He was a special case and he was a very special boy.

“He was not a loudmouth boy, he wasn’t a nasty boy. He was very well mannered.

“My son was not in a gang and he didn’t even like drill music. My son was not like that.”

She added: “He couldn’t go too far hence why he got into a situation.

"We know that my son was disabled and he was like a target."

Despite the efforts of paramedics, Levi was pronounced dead at the scene at around 8pm.

A post-mortem examination on Monday gave his preliminary cause of death as a stab wound leading to catastrophic bleed.

Levi's mother said he attended the Kaleidescope support group in nearby Lewisham, where reeling staff are in tears following the tragedy.

She added that her son had helped to save their neighbour’s life on multiple occasions and "wouldn't hurt a fly."

Levi was "well-mannered and kind" teenager who built his neighbour’s garden and dreamt of building his own family a home in the Caribbean.

She said: “Kaleidoscope help families and they do trips to support people with additional needs. They are in tears.

“We had an education care plan because Levi had special needs. He was very quiet; he wasn’t on social media properly.

“He was doing construction work and he wanted to build his own house. He was very good with his hands.

“We were looking to move to the Caribbean because our family is from St Lucia.

“He loved St Lucia and that is where he wanted to be."