The family of nine-year-old Aria Thorpe has spoken of their devastation after a 16-year-old boy was cleared of murder and manslaughter over her fatal stabbing at a home in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.
The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found not guilty at Bristol Crown Court on Thursday. He had told the jury that Aria’s death was an accident and said he had been holding a knife while acting “like I was fencing.”
Aria died on December 15 last year after suffering a single stab wound to the chest. Her family has now said they feel the justice system has failed her.
Family Says Verdict Is “Beyond Devastating”
After the verdicts were delivered, Aria’s relatives expressed grief and anger, saying no one had been held accountable for the loss of a child described as bubbly, happy, and full of life.
Her aunt, Katie Thorpe, said the family had been left with a lifelong sentence of grief.
“How is this justice?” she said. “What message does this send to society?”
She added that Aria’s family would carry the pain, heartbreak, and loss for the rest of their lives, while the person involved in the incident was able to walk free.
Aria’s great-aunt, Sarah Cox Pike, said seeing the teenager found not guilty was “beyond devastating.”
“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,” she said.
Teen Said He Wanted to “Scare” Aria
During the trial, the boy told the jury that he picked up an eight-inch knife from near the kitchen sink before going into the lounge, where Aria was sitting on the sofa.
He said he had wanted to scare her and make her flinch, claiming he was waving the knife around before leaning forward in a fencing-like motion.
“Aria stood up and I was waving around the knife,” he told the court. “Then at some point I decided that I was going to try to make her flinch and scare her, to get a reaction.”
He said Aria was in front of him when the knife entered her chest. He told jurors he did not know what to do afterward and panicked.
According to his evidence, he returned the knife to the kitchen sink before leaving the property.
Aria Died “Very Swiftly,” Court Heard
Dr Amanda Jeffery, a Home Office pathologist, told the court that Aria died “very swiftly” from a single stab wound that passed through her heart.
The court heard that the wound measured 3.2cm wide and between 7.5cm and 8cm deep.
After leaving the home, the teenager went to a nearby railway station. There, he spoke to a group of children and told them Aria’s death had been an accident.
One of the children, a 14-year-old girl, became concerned and called 999. She told the call handler that the boy had said he had stabbed Aria and that she was dead on the living room floor.
The girl later told an officer that she had a feeling something was wrong and asked a friend to distract the boy while she contacted police.
When officers arrived, the teenager ran across a bridge and boarded a train. Police stopped the train and arrested him.
Aria’s Final Hours
In a statement read to the jury, Aria’s mother, Victoria Hull, described the final hours she spent with her daughter.
She said she had helped Aria get ready for school that morning and later went to collect her at 3:10 p.m., forgetting that Aria had a dance class. Aria asked to stay for the class, and her mother returned at 4:30 p.m.
“Aria said she had a really good day,” Ms Hull said.
The two then went to Aldi to buy mini pizzas and toppings before returning home. Aria ate pizza while sitting on the sofa and watching YouTube on television.
Her mother said Aria seemed “bubbly and happy” after dance class. Before Ms Hull left for her evening shift at Pontins, Aria asked if she could have the last Oreo after her food.
“She said something like, ‘See you after work mummy,’” Ms Hull said. “I replied, ‘See you after work, love you.’”
Later that evening, Ms Hull learned that people had been trying to contact her. She left work and arrived at a friend’s house at 7:18 p.m., where police were waiting.
“This is when I found out about Aria,” she said. “It was all a blur.”
A Verdict That Leaves Questions Behind
The teenager was cleared of both murder and manslaughter after the jury accepted that the prosecution had not proved the charges against him.
For Aria’s family, however, the verdict has left deep pain and unanswered questions.
They say a nine-year-old girl lost her life in a horrific and senseless way, yet nobody has been held criminally responsible for her death.
Aria’s final day had been filled with ordinary childhood moments: school, dance class, pizza, YouTube, and a goodbye to her mother before work.
Hours later, her family’s life was changed forever.
The court case has now ended, but for those who loved Aria Thorpe, the grief continues — along with the painful belief that justice has not been served.
