Boy, 15, charged with murder of girl, 9

A 15-year-old boy has been charged with the murder of a nine-year-old girl.

Police have named the victim as Aria Thorpe, who was found dead at a house in Lime Close, Weston-super-Mare, on Monday evening.

A post-mortem examination found the preliminary cause of her death was a single stab wound, Avon and Somerset Police said.

The teenage suspect, who cannot be named due to his age, remains in custody and is due to appear at Bristol Magistrates’ Court later.

Supt Jen Appleford said it was “impossible to adequately describe how traumatic the past 36 hours have been” for Aria’s family.

“The tragic loss of such a young girl has caused a huge amount of shock and upset, with there being a profound sense of loss felt throughout the community,” she added.

She said police officers were working with schools across the area to make sure those affected were being supported, adding: “We are grateful to local residents for the patience shown while we have been carrying out enquiries in the area.”

A police cordon has been in place around Lime Close since Monday, with forensics teams working at the scene as officers carry out house-to-house inquiries.

Neighbours said they feel “shocked” and “horrified” by what has happened, as the usually quiet residential area has been taken over by emergency services.

Supt Appleford said work gathering evidence would continue in the coming days.

The town’s MP, Dan Aldridge, described Aria’s death as an “utterly heartbreaking tragedy for the family and her loved ones”.

“This is a moment that will understandably shock and sadden us all, and I know many in our town will be grieving, anxious, and seeking answers,” he said, adding that there was no indication of any wider threat to the public.