Young victims named after UK dance class stabbings

“No words can describe the devastation that has hit our family as we try to deal with the loss of our little girl."

Joel Erickson

3 min read

July 31, 2024 - 9:47AM

Family Life

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Three little girls who were stabbed to death at a Taylor Swift-inspired dance class in the UK have been named.

Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9, were confirmed as the victims of the knife rampage in Southport, just north of Liverpool, on Tuesday morning.

The Sun reports Alice’s family confirmed she succumbed to her injuries in the early hours of the morning.

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Her heartbroken family said she would “always be their princess”.

“Keep smiling and dancing like you love to do our Princess,” the family said. “You’re always our princess and no one would change that.

“Love from Your Hero Daddy and Mummy.”

Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, has been named as one of the tragic victims of the Stockport knife rampage. Picture: The Sun

"A despicable human being took you away"

Alice’s heartbroken family said she had been killed by a “despicable human being”.

“Princess Alice. In this moment of great pain my soul hurts, my body hurts, my mind hurts. I have a lump in my throat,” a relative wrote.

“You were just an innocent child, a happy smiley girl with a bright life ahead of you which a despicable human being took away from you, without pity, for no reason.”

Bebe’s family also paid tribute to their little girl.

“No words can describe the devastation that has hit our family as we try to deal with the loss of our little girl Bebe,” the family said.

Six-year-old Bebe King was also killed in yesterday's horror stabbing. Picture: The Sun

"She was known and loved by everyone in our community"

A local primary school also paid tribute to Alice and Bebe.

"It is with great sadness that we heard the tragic news about the three children who died following yesterday's atrocity, including Alice Da Silva Aguiar, a Year 4 pupil at Churchtown, and Bebe King, a former pupil,” the school’s headteacher wrote.

"Alice was the happiest of souls, a true ray of sunshine. She was known and loved by everyone in our school community of 700 children, a testament to her unique ability to connect with others.

"Bebe was a joyful girl, whose kindness radiated through the entire Churchtown community. During her time at the school, Bebe's considerate nature and her love of learning shone through in everything that she did."

Alice Aguiar, nine, was also attacked in the knifing, and tragically died of her injuries in the early hours of this morning. Picture: The Sun

"These were just little kids at a dance class"

News.com.au reports Taylor Swift responded with “shock” to the violent attacks which have left eight other children and two adults in hospital, five of whom are still fighting for their lives.

“The horror of yesterday’s attack in Southport is washing over me continuously, and I’m just completely in shock. “The loss of life and innocence and the horrendous trauma inflicted on everyone who was there, the families, the first response,” she wrote.

“These were just little kids at a dance class. I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies.

“I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families.”

Yoga teacher Leanne Lucas, who defended children, named as victim of Southport knife attack. Picture: The Sun

Adults injured trying to save young lives

The fully booked event, which was advertised as a dance and yoga workshop, quickly became “like a horror movie” according to witnesses to the stabbings.

Teacher Leanne Lucas, 35, is understood to be fighting for her life in hospital after trying to protect the children, while her colleague Heidi escaped uninjured after managing to lock some of the children safely inside a toilet stall.

Jonathan Hayes, 63, was also injured when he ran into the dance studio and tried to fend off the attacker moments after hearing screams.

A video obtained by UK tv network ITV shows a person wearing a green hoodie and a face mask walking back and forth outside the front door before the attacks.

Witnesses said the suspect, a 17-year-old boy who cannot be named, had got out of a taxi minutes before launching his alleged attack.

News.com.au reports that while police are still investigating the attack, they do not believe it is terror-related.