'My rock... why are you gone?' Mother's heart-wrenching tribute after her son, 16, is 'struck by a ute outside his house and dragged down the road'

The anguished mother of a teenage boy who died after being dragged by a ute outside his home said he was loyal, honest and defended people from bullies.

Abdul Popal, 16, of Clarkson in Perth's north, had been standing in Portslade Lane behind his mother's home about 6pm on Saturday night when a white Holden Colorado Ute pulled up and briefly stopped next to him.

CCTV footage from a neighbour's security camera has revealed the horror of what happened next.

In a second, Abdul fell and hit his head in the middle of the laneway as the driver, aged in his 20s and dressed in a red shirt, allegedly sped off.

Abdul was dragged for several meters along the lane.

Abdul Popal, 16 (pictured left) with his mother Laila McPherson . Abdul was killed when he fell to the ground and was dragged along a laneway in Perth by a white Holden Colorado ute

Abdul Popal was said to be the 'funniest guy in the room' and loved by everyone

The white Holden Colorado ute captured on a neighbour's CCTV camera. The driver is dressed in a red shirt and is believed to be aged in his 20s

Homicide detectives scoured the scene, interviewing neighbours and first responders.

Officers found a Holden Colorado Ute hours later in Ocean Reef, arrested a man and took him in for questioning.

A 20-year-old Ocean Reef man was charged with manslaughter and is scheduled to appear in Joondalup Magistrates Court on Monday, police said.

Abdul's shattered mother Laila McPherson shared her shock and disbelief on Facebook, along with pictures of her son.

'My rock, my loyal honest boy. Why are you gone? My life will stand still forever,' she wrote.

She recalled the awful moment on Saturday night when police told her the news.

Abdul's nine-year-old brother had run outside to see what was happening when he heard the commotion in the laneway.

Police detectives took him back inside and asked Ms Mcpherson for a photograph of Abdul, and asked her a lot of questions.

Ms McPherson began to think her son might be involved in whatever the incident was but it was when the police asked if she had a family member who could come and be with her that she felt real fear.

 'When they say that, you kind of know,' she told the West Australian newspaper.

Abdul Popal with his mum Laila McPherson . Ms McPherson described the popular teen as loyal, honest and 'her rock'

Abdul Popal was remembered by friends as a guy that everyone loved, who would help anyone

Police waited for Ms McPherson's mother to arrive before they gave her the awful news.

'You never think that it's going to be that they're deceased — when they're 16,' she said. 

Ms McPherson remembered her son as a popular young man who would always stand up for people who were being bullied.

Schoolmate Harvey Robinson, 17, was supposed to meet up with Abdul and some other friends just hours after he was killed.

Instead, the shocked teen was among the steady stream of young people leaving flowers and gifts at his mother's door on Sunday.

He told the West Australian that he just didn't know how to react to the sudden death, and that Abdul was the 'funniest guy in the room', someone that everyone loved.

'Abdul was a genuine guy who was my best friend, everyone loved him, he had a biggest heart and was always there for anyone,' he said.  

Western Australia Police have asked the public for help with their investigation.

Anyone who saw anything suspicious, or the white Holden Colorado ute in the area, or who has dash cam footage, please call CrimeStoppers on 1800 333 000.