15-Year-Old Boy’s Plea to Mum Before Brutal Assault; Teen with a ‘Heart of Gold’ Fatally Stabbed on Lancashire Bridge
A devastating tragedy unfolded as 15-year-old Dylan Bragger, described by his family as a teenager with a “heart of gold,” met a brutal end on a bridge in Lancashire. Dylan, while pursuing a career as a mechanic and widely adored, was tragically stabbed to death on June 29, 2023.
His mother, Sarah, painted a poignant picture of her son, recounting how he could light up a room with his infectious laughter and love for his family. In a heart-wrenching revelation, she shared that Dylan had reached out to arrange a lift home not long before his untimely demise.
The fateful incident unfolded on a footbridge where Dylan, accompanied by his older cousin Keagan, encountered Felipe Figueiredo, a heavy-set man armed with a ferocious weapon. Despite being a decade older than Dylan, Figueiredo pursued the two boys relentlessly. Tragically, Dylan was stabbed 23 times and left for dead, his jugular vein and vagus nerve severed by the assailant’s black blade, Manchester Evening News reported.
After committing the heinous act, Figueiredo chased Keagan onto a dual carriageway, wielding the murder weapon and accusing them of stealing his wife’s motorbike. Figueiredo, residing near the crime scene, had recently purchased a scooter to ease his wife’s daily commute as a special needs teaching assistant.
Days before the attack, the couple’s newly acquired bike was stolen, prompting Figueiredo to post inquiries on a local Facebook group. Believing that two youngsters had been spotted riding the stolen bike in the area, he armed himself with a large knife, setting off a tragic chain of events.
As Keagan attempted to intervene and help his cousin, Figueiredo brandished the blade, forcing Keagan onto the dual carriageway. In a chilling confrontation, Keagan filmed the approaching assailant, who menacingly tucked the knife away and later called 999 with a false narrative, claiming self-defense against the boys.
During the trial at Preston Crown Court, the jury unanimously found Figueiredo guilty of murder within three hours. Despite the lack of evidence indicating that Dylan or Keagan were armed, Figueiredo’s defense rested on the belief that “young fellas always have knives on them.”
Dylan’s family, grappling with the harrowing details of his brutal demise, expressed their profound grief and shattered lives. Sarah, his mother, articulated the deep pain and trauma inflicted by the loss, emphasizing the lifelong impact on the family and community. The sheer brutality of Dylan’s injuries, detailed in court, left an indelible mark on his loved ones, who grapple with haunting images of his final moments.
In a heartfelt plea for justice, Sarah revealed the unimaginable anguish of losing her son and the impossibility of finding closure. The last six months since Dylan’s death have been described as the worst period of their lives, with the family left attempting to rebuild a once cohesive unit that will never be the same. The anguish and sorrow persist, with the hope that Dylan is now at peace and deeply missed by those who loved him.