A 16-year-old boy has been found not guilty of murdering nine-year-old Aria Thorpe at Bristol Crown Court. The teenager, who cannot be identified because of his age, was also cleared of manslaughter.
Aria died after suffering a single stab wound to the chest at her home in Weston-super-Mare on 15 December 2025. A pathologist confirmed that the injury caused her death.
The teenager told the jury that he and Aria had been playfighting when the incident happened. He said he was holding a knife and moved forward as if he were fencing. According to his evidence, Aria moved toward him and the knife entered her chest.
Defence argued there was no intention to harm
During the trial, defence barrister Andrew Langdon KC said the boy had made a terrible mistake but had not intended to kill or seriously injure Aria.
After the injury, the teenager left the house and went toward Worle Railway Station. He told the court that he panicked and became frightened after realizing what had happened.
The jury also heard that he had been expelled from school earlier that day because of disruptive behavior and truancy. His mother had taken away his phone as punishment, and he claimed he could not call emergency services because he no longer had it with him.
Aria found by family lodger
Aria was discovered shortly after 6:00 p.m. by Ollie Sheppard, who was temporarily staying at the family home.
Sheppard described the house as unusually quiet when he arrived. At first, he believed Aria was joking around. He then noticed blood on her school shirt and realized something was seriously wrong.
Emergency services attempted to resuscitate the nine-year-old, but they stopped their efforts at 6:58 p.m.
Family remembered Aria as lively and bubbly
Following her death, Aria’s family paid tribute to her and described her as a lively, bubbly child who brought joy to those around her.
Several jurors appeared emotional when the verdicts were announced. Aria’s mother left the courtroom immediately after the decision. The teenager showed little visible reaction as the jury returned not guilty verdicts on both charges.
The case has drawn significant attention because of the tragic circumstances surrounding the death of a young child and the court’s conclusion that the teenager was not criminally responsible for murder or manslaughter.
