‘Most beautiful little soul.’ That is how nine-year-old Aria Thorpe’s family described her this week, remembering a happy, kind child who loved to sing and dress up. Their words were released through Avon and Somerset Police as relatives asked for time and privacy to grieve.

Aria died from a single stab wound at a house on Lime Close in Weston-super-Mare on Monday 15 December 2025. Police were called just before 6.10pm; a 15-year-old boy was arrested shortly afterwards in nearby Worle and later charged with murder.

The teenager, who cannot be named because of his age, first appeared at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 17 December, then at Bristol Crown Court on Friday 19 December via video link. Judge Peter Blair KC set a provisional trial for 15 June 2026; the youth remains in detention and is next due in court on 16 March 2026.

Her father, Tom Thorpe, from Portsmouth, wrote about the long weekend drives-‘Dad, how long left?’-and small rituals at breakfast and bedtime that now sit painfully quiet. He called her a ‘special little angel’ who made people smile just by being herself.

Relatives on her mother’s side said Aria was ‘full of light and joy’ and loved dressing up ‘just like her mummy’. They thanked friends and neighbours for their messages and asked the public to respect the family’s privacy while they grieve.

Flowers and handwritten notes have been placed near the family home across the week as Weston-super-Mare absorbs the shock.

Avon and Somerset Police say specialist officers are supporting the family, and that schools across the town are being helped to care for pupils and staff affected by the news. The force has reiterated the family’s request for privacy.

Readers across the North will recognise the same hard questions about keeping children safe. Official figures show knife‑enabled crime recorded by police fell by 5% in the year to June 2025 to 51,527 offences; fewer than 1% were homicides (about 0.4%). Possession of a blade offences rose to 28,499 over the same period.

Closer to home, prevention work continues. Cleveland’s CURV partnership secured a further year of Home Office funding in March, while Nottinghamshire’s police and crime plan prioritises earlier help for young people who may be at risk.

Nationally, ministers point to targeted policing and youth support. The Home Office says a dedicated taskforce has helped reduce knife robberies in several high‑risk areas, and the government has announced initial Young Futures hubs to bring services together for teenagers at risk.

The legal position bears repeating. Because the defendant is 15, he cannot be identified. Posting details that risk identification could affect a fair trial. We will continue to report carefully as the case returns to court in 2026.