Chadwer Leah’s family call on state government to tackle surging knife crime in Victoria

The grief-stricken family of a young man who drowned in the Yarra River while trying to escape machete-wielding youths says knife crime in the city is “terrifing” as it urged the government to do more.

The family of a 22-year-old man who drowned after he was forced to jump in the Yarra River to escape from machete-wielding youths in Melbourne’s CBD has called on the government to do more to tackle surging knife crime.

Speaking through tears from their Clyde North home, the heartbroken parents and siblings of Chadwer Leah told the Herald Sun the ambitious plumber’s fateful decision to go into the water showed how terrified he would have been.

Walking up to Chadwer’s bedroom, the family pointed to a whiteboard hung on his wall where he had written a list of his life goals.

One of them was learning how to swim.

Chadwer Leah’s family Chuong, Shaker, Mercy, Gogog and Nema. Picture: Tony Gough

“I don’t want this situation to happen to any child or any parent,” his mother Gogog Nyuth said, sitting next to her husband Shaker Leah.

“It’s been hard for us, it’s been hard for our community. I want justice.”

Their son had been enjoying an innocent night out with friends on September 30 when he was brutally punched in the head by strangers outside Platform One Nightclub on Flinders St.

In an effort to escape the thugs, Chadwer ran from the scene but two men gave chase, one of them brandishing a machete.

After jumping in the river to escape, Chadwer managed to scramble on to a jetty but slipped and fell back into the water.

His body was pulled from the water earlier this month.

Chadwer’s father Shaker and mother Gogog want justice for their son. Picture: Tony Gough

Chadwer’s sister Nema Leah said she was terrified that teenagers were walking around the CBD with deadly weapons and threatening innocent people.

“Chadwer came face to face with the people who put fear in his heart,” she said.

“My mother and father can’t sleep at night knowing these people are out there.

“It’s really scary and daunting to think that is what is happening in the city.

“Parents don’t expect their children to go to the city and not come back.”

This week, police arrested a 16-year-old boy and an 18-year-old man but the pair was released pending further inquiries.

No charges had been laid by Wednesday night.

Chadwer’s brother Chuong Leah said the perpetrators must be caught and thrown behind bars.

“They need to be taught a lesson. They know they will get a slap on the wrist because they are young,” he said.

“They need to be taught at a young age that they can’t be committing these types of crimes.”

Chadwer was passionate about his football and fitness. Picture: Supplied

The Herald Sun previously revealed that one in five stabbing assailants in Victoria were children aged between 10 and 17-years-old with police confiscating more than 115,000 weapons in the past decade.

This included 10,378 knives, daggers and swords so far this year.

Nema said her brother was “such an ambitious person”.

He was the oldest of seven and he glued the family together.

“We are all heartbroken, I don’t wish this upon anyone; this pain we have endured is so hard,” she said.

The Allan government brought in a bill in March to ban machetes, giving police new powers to stop businesses from selling them to youths and making it illegal for people to possess a machete without a lawful reason.

Victoria Police said the investigation remained ongoing.

Anyone with further information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.