Girl, 9, fatally stabbed in Weston-super-Mare would have ‘died very swiftly’, court told
A 16-year-old boy is on trial accused of killing Aria Thorpe last December
Last updated 8 hours ago
A nine-year-old girl who was allegedly fatally stabbed by a teenage boy would have died “very swiftly” from her injury, a pathologist has said.
Aria Thorpe died after sustaining a knife wound to her chest at her home in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, on December 15 last year.
The 16-year-old boy, who cannot be identified due to his age, denies charges of murder and manslaughter in relation to Aria’s death.
Bristol Crown Court has heard the boy ran to a nearby train station after the incident and told a group of children there that he had killed Aria accidentally.
Dr Amanda Jeffery, a Home Office pathologist, told jurors that Aria died as a result of a single stab wound to her chest, which went through her heart.
“Injuries to the heart of this nature can result in sudden collapse and incapacitation,” the pathologist said.
“Some victims are capable of a short period of movement before they collapse.”
Dr Jeffery said the distribution of blood at the scene suggested that Aria collapsed “very quickly”.
“Aria would have died very swiftly from an injury of this nature,” she added.
The court heard Aria had a stab wound measuring 3.2cm wide and between 7.5 and 8cm deep.
Jurors were shown a large kitchen knife with a green plastic handle and 21cm-long blade, which Dr Jeffery confirmed was “capable of producing the wound that was present”.
She said there were no other cuts to Aria’s body and no defensive-type injuries.
The court heard pathologists consider the minimum level of force required to cause a wound, with the scale ranging from mild, moderate to severe.
Dr Jeffery told the jury that in this case, the minimum level of force would be “mild”, but that greater force could have been involved.
Aria attended school on the day of her death and was collected from an after school dance class by her mother, Tori Hull, at about 4.30pm.
They went shopping for mini pizzas and toppings, which they made together. Ms Hull left for an evening work shift shortly after, with Aria watching YouTube videos on the television.
Family friend Ollie Sheppard, who was staying temporarily at the house, returned there after work at about 6pm to find Aria on the floor of the living room.
In a 999 call read to the jury, Mr Sheppard told the call operator: “I have literally just got home from work, I’ve come through the door and came into the living room.
“A little girl who lives here is on her front. I have turned her over and she is covered in blood. There looks like a stab wound. Her face is going grey. Oh my god.”
Police and paramedics attended the property, but Aria could not be saved and was pronounced dead at 6.58pm.
The teenage defendant was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after boarding a train at Worle railway station.
In police interview, he gave a prepared statement describing how he had stabbed Aria “in the chest”.
He later told the officers: “Just wish I never did it”.
The trial, before Mrs Justice O’Farrell, continues.