A nine-year-old girl tragically passed away from a single stab wound to her chest in her residence, as revealed during an initial inquest. Aria Thorpe was declared deceased by paramedics at her home in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, at 6:58 pm on December 15. Coroner’s officer Andrew Eastwood informed the Avon Coroners’ Court that the cause of death was a stab wound to the chest.
Dr. Peter Harrowing, the area coroner for Avon, has requested the complete post-mortem report by February 16 and identified Aria’s family and the accused individual as involved parties. Dr. Harrowing stated that due to ongoing proceedings, the matter would not be scheduled for an inquest but for a review on April 10, emphasizing that it would not be a court hearing and future coronial actions would depend on police investigations or legal procedures.
A 15-year-old boy, whose name is protected due to his age, had previously appeared at Bristol Crown Court facing charges for Aria’s murder. Judge Peter Blair KC, the Recorder of Bristol, set a tentative trial date for June 15 this year, expecting the trial to last two weeks. Authorities were alerted to the incident in the Mead Vale area of Weston-super-Mare by paramedics on December 15 at 6:09 pm.
Following Aria’s untimely passing, her father Tom Thorpe expressed heartfelt tributes, recalling her as a brave and kind-hearted soul who brought joy to everyone around her. Aria’s extended family in Portsmouth also shared their sorrow, describing her as a beautiful and cheerful child who loved singing and dancing, highlighting the immense loss they are experiencing and the support they are providing one another during this difficult time.
The family expressed gratitude for the outpouring of messages received from friends and the local community.