A 16-year-old teenager has been acquitted of the charges of murdering and causing the death of nine-year-old Aria Thorpe, who passed away following a stabbing incident.
The tragic event occurred on December 15 last year at Aria’s residence in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset. The boy, whose identity remains protected due to his age, was declared not guilty by a jury at Bristol Crown Court on Thursday.
Following the incident, the teenager left Aria’s house and headed to a nearby railway station, where he informed a group of children that the death was accidental.
During the trial, the teenager explained that he had grabbed a knife from the kitchen, intending to frighten Aria. He demonstrated wielding the knife in a ninja-like manner before inadvertently causing the fatal injury to Aria.
The jury delivered the verdict of not guilty on both charges. Subsequently, members of the public gallery exited the courtroom silently as instructed by the trial judge earlier.
Expressing gratitude to the jury for their diligence, the judge acknowledged the emotional difficulty of the case. The teenager was informed of his acquittal and taken for processing after the jury left the courtroom.
The teenager recounted that he aimed to startle Aria with the knife, picked up from the kitchen sink, while she was in the lounge. Unfortunately, the act resulted in the knife puncturing Aria unintentionally.
After the incident, the teenager did not seek help or inform anyone, instead rushing to the railway station where he disclosed the accidental killing to other youngsters.
Following a call to the police by a witness at the station, law enforcement intervened promptly, preventing the teenager from leaving on a train and subsequently arresting him.
The court heard from the Home Office pathologist that Aria’s death was caused by a single stab wound penetrating her heart, leading to swift fatality.
Aria, who had been at school earlier that day, spent time with her mother before the tragic incident occurred. Her life was tragically cut short despite efforts by emergency responders to save her.
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