Solomon Ngugi death: 'None of us saw this coming, he was always smiling' (From Watford Observer)

Solomon Ngugi death: 'None of us saw this coming, he was always smiling'

1:20pm Friday 15th March 2013 in News By Adam Binnie, Senior Reporter

The cafe in which teenager Solomon Ngugi worked will close for two days to allow staff time to mourn.

Solomon, 16, was found dead at his home in Thorpe Crescent, Oxhey, at 5.45pm yesterday.

He worked at weekends at Cha Cha Cha cafe in Cassiobury Park, which will be closed today and tomorrow.

Nicholas Williams, cafe director, said Solomon had worked at the cafe on and off for the past two to three years.

He added: "We’ve known the family more of less since the cafe opened. They used to live in one of the houses in the park next to us.

"His mum works here too on a part-time basis, so Solomon has been here since he was a little lad, and more recently has been waiting tables, serving drinks and doing the washing up for us.

"He was a great lad who had the same dreams and aspirations as anyone of that age. It was only last week he was walking around dressed as a banana for the fair trade event at the cafe.

"He was a really good member of staff, great with customers and the staff, a lot of the girls who worked here knew him quite well and are very upset."

Daniel Phillips, from Hertfordshire Constabulary, said the death is not currently being treated as suspicious, and has been passed to the coroner to investigate.

Mr Williams added: "The staff all went in today and nobody knew anything about it other than what was floating around on the internet.

"None of us saw this coming, he was always smiling."