Tearful parents of girl killed in Southport attack reveal their final moments together

The families of two of the three girls killed in the Southport stabbings have recalled their final moments with their little girls in an emotional interview.

The parents of six-year-old Bebe King and Elsie Stancombe, seven, spoke about their memories of the girls who, along with nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar, were murdered by Axel Rudakubana at the Taylor Swift-themed dance class on July 29 last year.

Bebe King’s parents, who can’t be named for legal reasons, described their daughter as a hilarious little girl who operated on a ‘high frequency’.

They recalled the touching last moments they shared with Bebe, as they kissed her goodbye, burying her in her pyjamas after reading her a favourite book and having her christened.

It’s the first time both families have spoken out about their ordeal, almost six months on from the attacks. They dropped off their daughters at a Taylor Swift dance class, not knowing it would be the last time they’d see them.

Bebe King

The morning of the attacks, Bebe was ‘moaning’ over what to wear to the dance class, ultimately deciding on a ‘beautiful pink outfit’, her mum said.

Her dad dropped her off at the dance class before they received the call about an attack at the studio. They described little Bebe to the police, who told them she had passed away.

Bebe’s mum said she has no recollection of what happened afterwards, but her father said she fell to the ground screaming before they were taken into a nearby relative’s home.

Bebe was buried in her pyjamas and was christened by her family shortly before her funeral. They read Bebe her favourite book, before leaving.

‘We spent a week with her after, and she was perfect. It was like she was asleep. She had pyjamas on. There were night lights and it was like she was asleep. Even though it was hard for us at first, we know now, for us, it was the right thing to do.

‘I held her hand. All our family came. We got her christened. We were supposed to get her christened at age two, but we did it in the suite and the whole family was there. Everybody could say their goodbyes the way they wanted to.

‘I kissed her, and that’s how we will remember her.’

On the day of Bebe’s funeral, her mum said: ‘It was Bebe’s church for the day. She used to love this T-shirt that said ‘Strong Girls Club’ on it. All our friends and family wore them.

‘Our girls just need to be safe, our children need to be safer and protected. As parents, it is just really important for us to be able to remove Bebe from the past couple of weeks.’

Bebe’s mum referenced the judge’s sentencing of the man behind the Southport attacks, whom the parents don’t reference by name. They said the details released about their daughter’s injuries went beyond what was necessary to share.

‘She was a human being. She was a beautiful, funny, crazy, gorgeous girl and her legacy, can’t be defined by what’s happened.’

Elsie Stancombe

Jenni Stancombe, 35, remembered her daughter Elsie as a little girl who was ‘grateful for life’ and incredibly empathetic.

Elsie attended the dance class, which was hosted by her reading and writing tutor Leanne Lucas, who was severely injured in the attacks.

‘Elsie went to Leanne for 18 months for private tutoring every Saturday morning. I was just trying to give her a better start in life, that’s all it was,’ Jenni told The Sunday Times.

Leanne Lucas, who helped organise the Taylor Swift dance party on July 29, saved a spot in the fully booked class for little Elsie, who she tutored on the side.

On the day of the class, where little girls would make bracelets, sing and dance, Jenni dropped Elsie off at the studio and waved goodbye.

Shortly after heading back home, Jenni received a call about the stabbings. She and her husband David had ‘no idea’ how bad it was, they told the Times.

They stood outside the dance studio, begging the police for information. Jenni said: ‘I wanted to be told she’s in an air ambulance and tell me where she is so I can go to find her. I was just like — come on, come on.’

Elsie died from her injuries sustained in the attack. Her funeral, held in Birkdale, was akin to a ‘state funeral’ with the amount of people who showed up.

‘There were thousands,’ David told the Times. But life has changed for the family.

‘You know you say to your kids every day, every night, ‘I won’t let anything happen to you?’

‘How could I say that to [Elsie’s sibling] now? Because this has happened to Elsie. How could I sit there and say, ‘I would never let anything happen to you’?’

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