Morgan Freeman’s granddaughter stabbed to death

Morgan Freeman has paid tribute to his step-granddaughter after she was stabbed to death.

Freeman with step-granddaughter EDena Hines.

The Oscar-winning actor’s granddaughter E’Dena Hines was found lying in the street by police outside her home in New York City on Sunday night.

The 33-year-old - who is the granddaughter of Morgan’s first wife Jeanette Adair Bradshaw - was suffering from multiple stab wounds to her torso and was taken to hospital in Harlem where she was pronounced dead.

Yesterday police arrested a 30-year-old man in connection with the fatal stabbing on the Manhattan street.

Lamar Davenport, of New York City, was charged with second-degree murder, a day after 33-year-old Ms Hines was found lying in the street.

Police say the Davenport was in a relationship with Ms Hines. She was found in front of her apartment building on West 162nd Street.

Freeman issued a statement saying that “The world will never know her artistry and talent, and how much she had to offer.”

Ms Hines had studied acting and was involved with teaching urban youngsters. In a statement, Freeman said: “Her friends and family were fortunate enough to have known what she meant as a person.

“Her star will continue to shine bright in our hearts, thoughts and prayers. May she rest in peace.

“I want to acknowledge the tremendous outpouring of love and support my family has received regarding the tragic and senseless passing of my granddaughter. Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” he wrote on Facebook.

Ms Hines studied acting at New York University and taught underprivileged youngsters in Memphis, Tennessee. The actress - who recently returned to New York after working in Memphis - recently blogged about her experiences on set.

“I thought I was the group cheerleader, giving them what they needed to keep going cause I was blessed with exuberant amounts of energy, but I was more exhausted when it counted,” she wrote.

“While everyone else would be relaxing on breaks, I was entertaining or so I thought. I also became aware that my voice was always heard above others which meant they all knew about me, but I didn’t actually know a lot about them.

“Ahhhhh.... There is something beautiful in knowing you can find your stillness and be silent, but you can also be a ball of power,” she added.

In 2009, a US tabloid newspaper claimed that Freeman and Ms Hines were to marry.

The Hollywood star publicly attacked the rumour as “defamatory fabrications from the tabloid media design[ed] to sell papers”.

Ms Hines also spoke out saying that “these stories about me and my grandfather are not only untrue, they are also very hurtful to me and my family”.