Teenager Expelled Hours Before Nine-Year-Old Aria Thorpe Stabbed to Death
A Bristol Crown Court hearing revealed that a teenage boy, charged with the murder of nine-year-old Aria Thorpe, had been excluded from his school mere hours before her death. Aria died from a single stab wound to the chest at her home in Weston-super-Mare on 15 December last year.
The 16-year-old defendant, who cannot be publicly identified due to his age, has entered pleas of not guilty to both murder and manslaughter. The court was informed that while the teenager frequently faced disciplinary issues for disruptive behaviour, teachers observed him "trying hard" a week prior to the expulsion decision.
The defendant's mother stated that she received a call from the school on the day of Aria's death, informing her that "they'd come to the decision that [the defendant] would no longer be attending". She expressed anger, noting the previous positive feedback. In response, she confiscated his phone, expressing her disappointment, though she observed no significant change in his demeanour.
Aria was discovered face down in her home by Ollie Sheppard, a temporary lodger, shortly after 18:00 GMT. Emergency services ceased resuscitation efforts at 18:58.
Aria's mother, Victoria Hull, testified that she had collected her daughter from a dance class around 16:30. The last time she saw Aria alive, the child was eating mini-pizzas in the living room. Ms Hull then departed for an evening shift at Pontins, returning at approximately 19:20 to find police at her residence.
The defendant was arrested on a train at Worle Railway Station. During his police interview, he reportedly stated, "I don't know why I did it, it just happened." He became emotional, shaking his head when questioned about premeditation or anger towards Aria. He confirmed Aria saw the knife but made no efforts to check on her or call for an ambulance, explaining he was "scared" and "shocked" when he left.
