A 17-year-old girl has been charged with the murder of a teenage boy in Homerton on Tuesday night.

Jeremie Malenge, 17, was stabbed to death in Ponsford Street at 11.40pm, following an altercation with three or four male youths in a shop in Homerton High Street, police investigators believe.

It is understood that Jeremie, from Arcola Street, Hackney, was questioned by police less than an hour before he was killed.

A post-mortem examination was held at Poplar Mortuary on Thursday, 8 January, and the cause of death was determined to be a stab wound to the chest.

The female suspect, who was arrested on Thursday, will appear in custody at Stratford Magistrates’ Court tomorrow, Scotland Yard said.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission is investigating the Met’s prior contact with the victim.

A police spokesman said: “The referral was made as it is understood in the hour before Jeremie was murdered, he was spoken to by officers responding to reports of youths armed with knives in the area.”

Jeremie was a former pupil of the Petchey Academy in Shacklewell Lane, which paid tribute to him on its Facebook saying: “Very shocked to hear about former student Jeremie. Our thoughts are with his family”.

Friends and family of the teenager have taken to Twitter to pay their respects; @TrishNovacane tweeted: “RIP Jeremy. We love you and we’ll never forget you” and @caprxcee posted: “Rip Cousin Jeremy Also known as Jdot”. Another tweet by @PapiSoulz24 said: “RIP Jdot #RealG Gone too soon.”