A 16-year-old boy has been acquitted of both murder and manslaughter in the death of nine-year-old Aria Thorpe, who died after being stabbed in the heart at her home in Weston-super-Mare on December 15, 2025. The jury at Bristol Crown Court returned the not-guilty verdicts on Thursday, June 26, 2026.
Teenager Claimed Stabbing Was Accidental
The defendant, who cannot be named due to his age, told the court that he had picked up a knife with a 21cm blade from the kitchen sink to “scare” Aria, who was sitting on the sofa in the lounge. He demonstrated moving the knife in a “ninja-style” motion before jabbing it toward her as if fencing. He claimed the knife accidentally entered Aria’s chest, causing the fatal injury.
Home Office pathologist Dr Amanda Jeffery testified that Aria died from a single stab wound, between 7.5 and 8cm deep, which went through her heart. She said Aria would have died “very swiftly.”
Events After the Stabbing
After the stabbing, the boy left Aria’s home and walked to Worle railway station, where he told a group of children that her death was an “accident.” He borrowed a phone from a boy at the station and searched for “what happens if you kill…” A girl at the station called 999, and police stopped a train the boy had boarded, arresting him. When asked how he felt, he replied, “I felt horrible.”
The boy did not check on Aria after she was injured, nor did he call for an ambulance or alert neighbors. He returned the knife to the kitchen sink before leaving.
Jury Verdict and Judge’s Remarks
After the jury returned the not-guilty verdicts, several members of the public gallery left quietly, having been warned by trial judge Mrs Justice O’Farrell not to show emotion. The judge thanked the jury for their “careful attention” and “fortitude,” acknowledging the distressing nature of the case. She told the teenager, “You have been found not guilty and you will now be taken down to be processed.”
Background and Family’s Ordeal
Aria had 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 shopped for mini-pizzas and toppings, which they made together. Ms Hull left for an evening work shift shortly after, with Aria watching YouTube videos. Family friend Ollie Sheppard, staying temporarily at the house, returned at about 6pm and found Aria on the living room floor. He called 999, but Aria was pronounced dead at 6:58pm.
