The family of nine-year-old Aria Thorpe expressed deep distress and anger Thursday after a 16-year-old boy was found not guilty of her murder and manslaughter. The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, claimed he accidentally plunged a knife into Aria’s chest while pretending to fence.
Aria died on December 15 of last year at her home in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, from a single stab wound that passed through her heart, according to a Home Office pathologist. The wound measured 3.2 cm wide and between 7.5 cm and 8 cm deep.
During the trial at Bristol Crown Court, the boy testified that he picked up an 8-inch knife from near the kitchen sink intending to scare Aria. He stated that as he leaned forward and acted like he was fencing, Aria moved, and the knife entered her chest. He described panicking and fleeing the scene, returning the knife to the sink.
Aria’s aunt, Katie Thorpe, questioned the verdict's implications. "How is this justice? What message does this send to society? What does it teach people when a child can lose her life in such a horrific and senseless way, yet nobody is held accountable?" she asked. Aria’s great aunt, Sarah Cox Pike, echoed the sentiment, stating, "It feels like the justice system has failed not only Aria and everyone who loved her, but every family who expects the courts to deliver justice."
Aria's mother, Victoria Hull, recalled her daughter's last day. After forgetting Aria had a dance class, Ms. Hull returned later to find Aria happy and eating pizza. "Aria seemed bubbly and happy because she had a good dance class," Ms. Hull said. The pair parted ways with "see you after work, love you," as Ms. Hull left for her evening shift to earn extra money for Christmas. She learned of her daughter's death later that evening when she arrived at a friend's house to find police present.
After leaving Aria's home, the teenager went to a nearby railway station, where he informed a group of children that he had stabbed Aria. A 14-year-old girl from the group called emergency services, directing police to the platform where the boy was waiting. Police stopped the train he was about to board, and he was arrested.
The family emphasized their enduring grief. "Our family has effectively been handed a life sentence. We will carry this grief, heartbreak and loss for the rest of our lives. Meanwhile, the person responsible walks free," Katie Thorpe stated.