Family 'fight for justice' after murder acquittal

The family of a nine-year-old girl who was stabbed to death say they "will never stop fighting for justice" after a jury acquitted the teenager accused of her murder.

Aria Thorpe died of a single stab wound to her chest at her home in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, on 15 December 2025.

A 16-year-old, who cannot be named due to his age, was cleared of both charges of murder and manslaughter at Bristol Crown Court on Thursday.

In a statement on social media, Aria's aunt Katie Thorpe said amid an "epidemic of knife crime", the verdict leaves families "wondering what consequences truly exist".

The teenager, who was 15 at the time of Aria's death, told jurors he and Aria had been playfighting when the accident occurred.

He said he intended to "make her flinch" when he gestured the knife towards her, but she instead moved closer and the knife he was holding plunged into her chest.

The boy then "panicked", left the house and headed for Worle Railway Station, where CCTV captured him appearing to re-enact the fatal stabbing to a group of youths waiting on the train platform.

Aria was found lying face down on the floor of her home shortly after 18:00 GMT by Ollie Sheppard, who was temporarily lodging at the house.

A post-mortem examination found Aria died quickly from a single stab wound that pierced through her heart and punctured her lung.

In her statement, Katie said her loss felt like the family had "been handed a life sentence", and would "never stop loving and missing our beautiful girl".

"The UK is facing an epidemic of knife crime, and cases like this only leave families wondering what consequences truly exist. Something has to change," she wrote.

"What does it teach people when a child can lose her life in such a horrific and senseless way, yetnobody is held accountable?

"[Aria] had her whole life ahead of her. She should be making memories, laughing with her family, growing up and chasing her dreams.

"We will carry this grief, heartbreak, and loss for the rest of our lives. Meanwhile, the person responsible walks free.

"We will never stop speaking Aria's name. We will never stop fighting for justice."

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