Three-week-old baby boy who died in stabbing named as Andrei Stefan
9 October 2019, 20:22
A baby boy who died after being stabbed during an attack in Wallsend, North Tyneside, in which his mother was also hospitalised can now be named.
Three-week-old Andrei Stefan died from his injuries in hospital on Sunday, following the incident in Portland Close which police were called to at around 2.15pm four days earlier.
Andrei's 21-year-old mother, Andreea Sefan, is recovering from life-threatening injuries she also received during the attack in Howdon.
She is now in a stable condition in hospital, police say.
The baby's identity was protected by a court order, however North Tyneside Magistrate's Court lifted the reporting restriction on Wednesday following the news of Andrei's death.
Denis Erdinch Beytula, 27, was charged with two counts of attempted murder following the tragic incident and is due to face Newcastle Crown Court at the end of the month.
District Judge Bernard Begley, who lifted the order, said: "This is a very sad case. We are taking about a child who is deceased."
Representatives from the press argued that the Section 45 order had made it difficult for them to report on and inform the public of what had happened in the case, which the judge sided with.
Detective Chief Inspector Dave Cole, of Northumbria Police, said of Andrei's death: "This is a devastating time for the baby's family. Specialist officers continue to offer them support and I know the community in Wallsend are by their side too.
"It is impossible to imagine what they are going through and I would ask the public to continue to respect the family's privacy at this time.
"A man has been charged in relation to the incident and we will continue to work closely with the Crown Prosecution Service as the case moves forward."
