The brutal stabbing death of 12-year-old Leo Ross in January 2025 sent shockwaves through Birmingham and beyond. The kind-hearted schoolboy, described by his foster family as “the sweetest, kindest boy who put others before himself,” was fatally attacked in broad daylight while walking home from Christ Church C of E Secondary Academy in Yardley Wood. He was stabbed in the stomach near Trittiford Mill Park and tragically passed away in hospital later that day.

Leo was known for his warm personality—he made friends easily with everyone he met, young or old. Classmates and friends alike recalled how he was always welcoming, helpful, and quick with a smile. Yet, according to those close to him, there was one glaring exception: the boy who sat at the same desk as him in class.

Friends of Leo have quietly shared that while he got along with virtually the entire school, his relationship with this particular classmate was markedly different—distant, uneasy, perhaps even strained. Details remain scarce, but the contrast stands out sharply in the wake of the tragedy. Leo was outgoing and inclusive; this one boy seemed to be the outlier in his otherwise friendly world.

Even more unsettling is what happened next. Since Leo’s disappearance from school life turned into the nightmare of his murder, that same desk mate has reportedly been absent—officially on extended leave or sick permission. He has not returned to classes, and sources say he continues to request time off, raising eyebrows among those who knew the dynamics in the classroom.

The perpetrator in Leo’s case—a 15-year-old boy (who was 14 at the time)—has already pleaded guilty to murder, along with other violent offenses. He carried out a random, senseless attack on a vulnerable child he did not know, later pretending to be an innocent bystander at the scene before being arrested. Police investigations confirmed the killer targeted people he believed he could overpower, and Leo was tragically in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Yet the shadow over the desk mate lingers. Why the cold shoulder from someone as sociable as Leo? And why has this boy chosen—or been forced—to stay away from school ever since the stabbing? No official link has been established between him and the crime, but the timing fuels speculation and unease among parents, teachers, and the local community.

Leo’s foster family continues to grieve a boy who “had not one aggressive bone in his body.” His birth mother echoed the sentiment, saying he “didn’t have a bad bone in his body.” Tributes pour in, highlighting his light and joy. As the legal process concludes for the convicted killer, questions about classroom tensions and prolonged absences remain unanswered—leaving a haunting footnote in an already heartbreaking story.

In a city grappling with youth violence, Leo’s case reminds us how ordinary school routines can hide deeper undercurrents. For now, the desk mate’s extended leave stands as one of the lingering mysteries that may never fully be explained.