Teenager Found Not Guilty Of Murdering Nine-Year-Old Aria Thorpe In Weston-super-Mare

Teenager Found Not Guilty of Murdering Nine-Year-Old Aria Thorpe in Weston-super-Mare A teenage boy has been found not guilty of murdering nine-year-old Aria Thorpe, who died after suffering a fatal knife injury at her home in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset. The verdict was delivered at Bristol Crown Court on Thursday after a trial in which the defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons due to his age, also faced a charge of manslaughter. The jury returned not guilty verdicts on both counts. Aria Thorpe died on 15 December 2025 after sustaining a single stab wound to the chest at her home in the seaside town. Emergency services were called to the property shortly before 6.10pm, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. During proceedings, the court heard that the 16-year-old defendant admitted handling a kitchen knife in the home but maintained that the stabbing was accidental. He told the jury he had gone into the living room where Aria was sitting in an attempt to “scare” her and demonstrated a motion he described as “fencing” or “ninja-style” play with the knife, insisting the blade unintentionally made contact with the girl. The prosecution had argued that the stabbing was deliberate and that the defendant either intended to kill Aria or cause her really serious harm. However, the defence maintained that there was no intention to cause serious injury, describing the incident as a tragic accident that escalated during what was meant to be playful behaviour. After the verdicts were read, members of the public gallery, including relatives of the victim, quietly left the courtroom. The case has drawn significant public attention since Aria’s death, with earlier hearings confirming she died from a single stab wound and that the defendant was arrested shortly after the incident in nearby Worle. The teenager will continue to be subject to reporting restrictions due to his age. The ruling brings a major legal conclusion to a case that has deeply affected the Weston-super-Mare community, though wider public discussion around the circumstances of the incident is expected to continue.