Teens Found Guilty of Murdering Jodie Chesney in Brutal Park Attack
Two teenagers have been convicted of murdering 17-year-old Jodie Chesney in a merciless, unprovoked stabbing in a Harold Hill park. The Old Bailey jury heard how Jodie’s life was cruelly cut short on a typical Friday night out with friends after college.
Slow-Mo Horror in Amy’s Park
On 1 March, Jodie finished college and headed home to Dagenham before meeting her boyfriend and friends at Romford railway station. The group then went to St. Neot’s Road Play Park—known locally as Amy’s Park—in Harold Hill. It was here the attack happened in seconds.
Svenson Ong-a-Kwie, 19, and a 17-year-old accomplice, driven by Manuel Petrovic, 20, to the park, approached the group. Without a word, Ong-a-Kwie stabbed Jodie once in the back, leaving her mortally wounded as the two fled.
Her friends made desperate attempts to save her, holding her in her boyfriend’s arms, but tragedy struck swiftly.
Heroic Emergency Response Fails to Save Jodie
- First 999 call: 9.22pm
- Met Police rise on scene: 9.35pm
- London Ambulance and Air Ambulance medics attempt life-saving chest surgery at a petrol station in Gants Hill
- Jodie pronounced dead at 10.26pm
Jodie’s stab wound caused a collapsed lung and severe internal bleeding. Post-mortem confirmed death by shock and haemorrhage.
Justice Served – But Heartbreak Lingers
On 7 November, Svenson Ong-a-Kwie and the 17-year-old from Barking were found guilty of murder. Petrovic and another 16-year-old were cleared of murder and manslaughter charges. Sentencing is set for 18 November.
“Jodie was living her life as a teenager should—carefree and with her friends. It is Ong-a-Kwie and his co-defendant who robbed her of that, devastating so many,” said Detective Chief Inspector Dave Whellams.
Jodie’s family spoke raw heartbreak. Her father Peter Chesney revealed: “The murder of my beloved daughter has destroyed my life…I have no idea how I will ever come to terms with the loss.”
Her sister Lucy added, “Jodie was my best friend. Losing her feels like losing half of myself. I spend every moment looking over my shoulder, terrified it could happen again.”
The tragic murder has rocked Harold Hill and beyond, a grim reminder of the brutal impact of knife crime on young lives.
