PAINFUL TRAGEDY
Southport families ‘looking for light in darkness’ as they speak of heartbreak for first time after stabbings
Bebe's parents revealed how they found out she had died
THE FAMILIES of the little girls killed in the Southport attack have spoken about their heartbreak for the first time.
Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, were stabbed to death by evil Axel Rudakubana, 18, on July 29.
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Speaking to , Bebe's parents said that the community had pulled together in the wake of the horror attack.
They said: “It’s about this community. It has brought light in the darkness, these little moments. And that’s what we’re constantly looking for right now.”
Casting his mind back to the horror events of July 2024, Bebe's dad said that after hearing the news of the attack, he thought Bebe might have still been at home being looked after.
He searched the streets for his daughter - until, to his horror, the police gave a description matching her.
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The 43-year-old, who works for HM Revenue & Customs, said: "We had given people Bebe’s description. When that person came towards me, I could feel the blood drain from me and I went cold.
"I knew she was going to tell me something. And she did. ‘Are you Bebe’s dad?’ As soon as I said yes she said she had passed away.”
The little girl's parents went on to share memories about Bebe's vibrant personality.
Her mum, 41, said she had an "innate kindness" and "spark" - and had a ";power to connect with people" even at her early stage in life.
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Also speaking to the Sunday Times, Elsie's mum, Jenni Stancombe, recalled the events of the same day.
She and her husband David dropped Elsie, a passionate Swiftie, off at the class at 10am - where she was hugged by instructor Leanne Lucas, who later made a heroic effort to save the little girls under her care.
The parent of another girl in the class had offered to have Elsie round to play afterwards, and agreed to drop her back round at 3pm.
Shortly before midday, Jenni got a call from the other mother informing her of the stabbing.
She bolted in her car to the studio, whacking her horn all the way, but when they arrived, police stopped them from entering.
It later emerged that Elsie had died inside the studio during the attack.
Paying tribute to her daughter, Jenni added: "Everyone says it, don’t they, that they’re one of a kind. But she truly was.
"It was an honour to be her mum. Sometimes I think people are born special, and I genuinely believe she was."
Her husband also recalled Elsie's warmth and enthusiasm, saying she was always bursting with energy at the weekends.
Even as a little girl, Elsie would always cheer her parents up if they seemed down, he added.
She always wanted to be by her parents' side - even if they were just going out to the supermarket.
The little girl also had a passion for arts and crafts, her parents added - and had received a sewing machine for Christmas the previous year - but tried her hand at everything, from gymnastics to swimming, an outlet from her struggles with reading and writing.
Bebe and Elsie's killer - who also attempted to murder eight other children at random - was jailed for life with a minimum of 52 years last month.
The two-hour event where the girls lost their lives had been organised by instructors Leanne Lucas and Heidi Liddle at The Hart Space.
Just three miles away, Rudakubana had armed himself with a 20cm knife as he prepared to put his murderous plan into action.
Chilling footage showed the killer pacing outside his home before being picked up in a taxi.
Just 30 minutes later, Rudakubana arrived at the community centre as the children sang Taylor Swift songs and made friendship bracelets.
Leanne opened a window due to the summer heat and saw the masked teen outside but thought nothing of it.
But seconds later, the door opened and Rudakubana stormed into the class and began attacking children and adults at random.
Screams rang out as the killer teen systematically made his way through the room stabbing his victims with the black-handled Cerbera kitchen knife.
Timeline of events related to the Southport stabbings
AXEL Rudakubana has pleaded guilty to the murders of Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, and 10 counts of attempted murder.
Here is a timeline of events relating to the case:
2002: Rudakubana's father Alphonse moves to the UK from Rwanda, according to an interview he gave to his local newspaper in Southport in 2015.
August 7, 2006: Rudakubana is born in Cardiff, Wales.
2013: The family - including Rudakubana's father, mother and older brother - move from Wales to Banks in Lancashire, a few miles from Southport.
July 29, 2024: Shortly before midday, a knifeman enters a dance class at The Hart Space in Hart Street in Southport.
Bebe, Elsie and Alice are fatally wounded. Eight other children are injured, as are instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes.
Police say they have detained a male and seized a knife.
Within hours, claims spread online that the suspect is an asylum seeker who arrived in the UK by boat in 2023.
Some claims include an alleged identity.
July 30, 2024: In the evening, a peaceful vigil is held outside Southport's Atkinson arts venue, where flowers are laid in memory of those who died.
Shortly after the vigil, a separate protest begins outside the town's mosque in St Luke's Road.
People throw items towards the mosque, property is damaged and police vehicles are set on fire.
July 31, 2024: Demonstrators gather in Whitehall, London, for an "Enough Is Enough" protest.
Flares and cans are thrown at police and more than 100 people are arrested.
Disorder also breaks out in Hartlepool, County Durham, and Aldershot, Hampshire.
August 1, 2024: Police announce that Rudakubana has been charged with the murders of Bebe, Elsie Dot and Alice, 10 counts of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article.
He is not named by police because of his age.
He appears in court in Liverpool and Honorary Recorder of Liverpool Andrew Menary KC rules he can be named, as he is due to turn 18 in a week.
He initially smiled on entering the courtroom - then kept his face covered by his sweatshirt for the remainder of the proceedings before the case was adjourned.
Later that evening, demonstrators gather outside a hotel in Newton Heath, Manchester.
August 2, 2024: Three police officers are taken to hospital after disorder in Sunderland.
August 3, 2024: There are scenes of violence during planned protests across the UK, including in Liverpool, Hull, Nottingham and Belfast.
August 4, 2024: Disorder continues, including outside a Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, where masked demonstrators launch lengths of wood and sprayed fire extinguishers at police officers.
August 5, 2024: The Government holds an emergency Cobra meeting in the wake of the disorder and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer vows to "ramp up criminal justice".
That evening, a peaceful vigil is held in Southport, a week on from the killings. Police deal with disorder in Plymouth, Devon and Darlington, County Durham.
August 7, 2024: Prison sentences for those involved in the unrest begin to be handed out. Derek Drummond, 58, is the first person to be jailed for violent disorder at Liverpool Crown Court, where he is sentenced to three years.
More than 100 protests are planned for across the country, with counter-demonstrations taking place, but the majority of police forces report very little trouble.
October 29, 2024: Merseyside Police announces Rudakubana will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court via videolink the next day charged with production of a biological toxin, Ricin, and possession of information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing to commit an act of terrorism.
October 30, 2024: Rudakubana appears at Westminster Magistrates' Court via videolink from HMP Belmarsh to face the two new charges.
He holds his sweater over the bottom half of his face and does not respond when asked to confirm his name.
November 13, 2024: Rudakubana appears at Liverpool Crown Court via videolink. He covers his face with his grey sweatshirt and does not speak throughout the hearing.
About 20 family members of victims sit in the public gallery. The case is adjourned until December 12, when a preparatory hearing will take place.
January 20, 2025: Rudakubana appears at Liverpool Crown Court for the first day of his trial where he pleads guilty to all 16 charges, including the murders of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven.
As the desperate children tried to flee, Rudakubana chased after them and slashed them from behind.
Hero dance teacher Leanne was stabbed in the arms, neck and back as she used her body to shield young girls from the knifeman.
She screamed at the children to "run away"
Her colleague Heidi Liddle escaped uninjured after bravely locking some of the children inside a toilet.
Businessman Jonathan Hayes, who was working in the office next door, was attacked after he ran inside and bravely tried to stop the carnage.
At 11.57am - 12 minutes after the rampage began - police stormed the scene.
Officers found Rudakubana holding the large, bloodied kitchen knife and he was arrested.
After killing the girls, the monster told police "It’s a good thing those children are dead… I’m so glad… so happy".
As he was held in a custody suite following the rampage, the teen continued: "I don’t care, I’m feeling neutral.
"Literally, such a good thing those kids are dead, 6 years old… So happy, 6 years old. It’s a good thing they are dead, yeah."
It was this week revealed police failed to realise Rudakubana posed a terror threat despite being obsessed with the Manchester Arena bombing.
He also took a knife to school on one occasion, but counter-extremism police three times closed investigations.
A damning report laid bare the failings that saw the vile killer able to roam the streets and walk into the Taylor Swift event.
Security Minister Dan Jarvis said this week that Rudakubana was reported to Prevent three times but not referred for further monitoring.
Mr Jarvis said: “The review concluded that too much focus was placed on the absence of a distinct ideology, to the detriment of considering the perpetrator’s susceptibility, grievances and complex needs.
Moment Southport killer storms dance class to murder 3 girls as he's jailed for at least 52 years
“There was an under-exploration of the significance of his repeat referrals, and the cumulative risk, including his history of violence.”
He added: “The overall conclusion of the review is that he should have been case managed through the channel multi-agency process, rather than closed to Prevent.
"This would have enabled to co-ordinated multi-agency risk management and support.”
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The Government has accepted all 14 recommendations for improvements in the learning review that focused on Rudakubana.
The families of his victims, meanwhile, have previously spoken of how they are "stuck in a horror movie".
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