The youngest of the three victims in last month’s dance-class stabbing attack in northwestern England was laid to rest Saturday in a private funeral.
Bebe King was 6 when she was stabbed to death along with two other girls by a 17-year-old who burst into a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, England, and attacked. He wounded 10 other people, including two adults who were knifed while protecting the girls.
On Saturday Bebe’s family, including her parents and older sister Genie, mourned and celebrated the girl who had been “full of joy, light, and love” who would “always remain in our hearts as the sweet, kind, and spirited girl we adore,” her family said in a statement last week.
Merseyside Police Handout
(Left to right) Ben King, Bebe King, Lauren King and Genie King
“Our hearts are broken, but we find some comfort in knowing that Bebe was so deeply loved by all who knew her,” Lauren and Ben King said through the Merseyside Police Department. “She will forever be our shimmering star, and we will carry her with us in everything we do.”
In that statement, the parents revealed that older sister Genie had also been at the class and had witnessed her sister’s murder.
“She has shown such incredible strength and courage, and we are so proud of her,” her parents said. “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.”
Also killed were Alice da Silva Aguiar, 9, who was laid to rest last Sunday in a funeral packed with hundreds of mourners, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7. All the wounded children have been discharged from the hospital, Merseyside police said on Aug. 8.
The two adults who were wounded included yoga teacher Leanne Lucas, 35, who had organized the class. She had been released from the hospital but was recently readmitted with breathing problems and an infection, the organizers of an online funding drive said last Wednesday.
Also was John Hayes, 63, who rushed there from his neighboring business and was stabbed in the leg as he tried to wrest the knife away.
The attacker was identified as Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, who turned 18 just after the stabbings. He has been charged with three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder and possession of a “bladed article.”
Misinformation ran rampant before he was named, after initial, unfounded reports said the suspect had been an asylum-seeking Muslim. The ensuing week saw anti-immigration sentiment fuel violent riots in London and other cities, including Belfast in Northern Ireland. More than 1,000 people have been arrested.
With News Wire Services