Five children remain in critical condition, along with two adults
A Portuguese child – a girl – is among three who have died following the hideous knife attack in Southport, Merseyside, UK, yesterday afternoon.
The nine year old lost her battle for life in the early hours of this morning, police have confirmed.
For now, identities of the dead and injured are not being given (see update below). Eight other children suffered stab wounds during the attack: five of them remain in a critical condition.
Two adults are also in a critical condition.
The other two children who died were also girls, and aged six and seven years.
The attack, understood to have been perpetrated by a 17-year-old youth of Rwandan heritage now in police custody, has shocked the UK to its core at a point where anger towards policies on immigration is central.
A source for the foreign affairs ministry is quoted as having told Correio da Manhã that the Portuguese victim was the daughter of parents from Madeira.
UPDATE: Police have now named all three girls killed in this shocking incident. Alice da Silva Aguiar’s parents have taken part in a tribute involving the other two families, writing: “Keep smiling and dancing like you love to do our Princess, like we said before to you, you’re always our princess and no one would change that. Love from your Hero Daddy and Mummy.
Father John Heneghan, who led Alice’s first communion, has described her as a “beautiful girl from a lovely family”, saying he remembers her smiling at Mass last Sunday, just 24 hours before the attack that claimed her life.
“It is hearbreaking”, he told the Telegraph. “She was a lovely, lovely girl with a radiant smile. At the first communion serve, she just had this look of happiness. It was the most natural, happy smile. We’re heartbroken for all these families”.
According to the Telegraph, a GoFundMe page has so far raised £2,100 for the child’s family.
