Fifteen-year-old Boy Charged With Murder of Stabbed Girl

A teenage boy has been charged with the murder of a nine-year-old girl at her home in Weston-super-Mare.

Aria Thorpe, who had celebrated her ninth birthday just two weeks earlier, died from a single stab wound on Monday, Avon and Somerset Police said. The 15-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at Bristol Magistrates' Court yesterday. He spoke only to confirm his name, address and date of birth and was remanded into youth detention accommodation ahead of a hearing at Bristol Crown Court tomorrow.

Emergency services were called to the property in Lime Close, in the Mead Vale area of the town, at around 6.10pm after paramedics raised the alarm. Aria was pronounced dead at the scene. A teenage boy was arrested on suspicion of murder outside Worle railway station at 6.19pm and has since been formally charged.

A post-mortem examination confirmed that Aria died as a result of a single stab wound.

Neighbours said Aria had recently marked her birthday with a K-pop-themed party. Tamara Taylor, who lives nearby, described her as "a lovely little girl, sassy for her age," who loved dressing up and spending time with friends. She said Aria and her daughter were best friends who played together daily.

Ms Taylor added: "I'm dreading telling her when she comes home from school. How do you explain to an eight-year-old that her best friend has been murdered?"

The two girls had recently set up a small car-washing business to save money for make-up and clothes and had been excitedly planning their Christmas presents together in the days leading up to the stabbing.

GV Hale