Family of Girl, 6, Killed in Stabbing at Taylor Swift-Themed Dance Class Mourn Daughter: ‘Our World Was Shattered'

Mar. 15, 2025

Floral tributes are left for the victims of a deadly knife attack in Southport, northwest England, on July 31, 2024. Violent clashes broke out in the northern England town where a mass stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event claimed the lives of three children.Photo:PETER POWELL/AFP via Getty

PETER POWELL/AFP via Getty

The family of6-year-old Bebe King— who was killed alongside two other children in theJuly 29 deadly stabbingat aTaylor Swift-themed yoga and dance class in Southport, England — are speaking out.

They added, “Our beloved Bebe, only six years old, was full of joy, light and love, and she will always remain in our hearts as the sweet, kind, and spirited girl we adore.”

King Family

They added, “The response from Southport, the whole of Liverpool, and even further afield has deeply touched our hearts, and we are so grateful to everyone who has reached out to us.”

The statement went on to “acknowledge” their older daughter Genie, who “witnessed the attack and managed to escape.”

“She has shown such incredible strength and courage, and we are so proud of her. Her resilience is a testament to the love and bond she shared with her little sister, and we will continue to support her as we navigate this painful journey together as a family,” the family said.

The family also thanked the emergency services and “our community, friends, and strangers who have shown us such love,” adding that they were “thinking of” the families of 7-year-old Elsie and 9-year-old Alice, who were also killed in the incident.

A photo of Elsie Dot Stancombe, Bebe King and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, who were killed in an attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance and yoga class.Courtesy of Merseyside Police

Courtesy of Merseyside Police

Policepreviously allegedthat a 17-year-old suspect, armed with a knife, walked into the dance studio on Hart Street in Southport, England, on July 29 and attacked the group.

Officers responded to the scene on reports of a stabbing around 11:50 a.m. that morning and said that the suspect was arrested.

Police on Hart Street Southport, Merseyside, where a man has been detained and a knife seized after a number of people were injured in a reported stabbing.James Speakman/PA Images via Getty

James Speakman/PA Images via Getty

Police said at the time that the incident was “being treated as terror-related and we are not looking for anyone else in connection with it.”

On July 30,authorities confirmedthat a third child had died from injuries sustained in the attack. In a press release from Merseyside Police the same day, allthree children were identified.

Per a news release on Aug. 1, Merseyside Police announced thatthe teenage suspecthad been charged with killing the three girls, as well as possession of a bladed article and 10 counts of attempted murder.

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“These were just little kids at a dance class. I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families,” she added.

source: people.com