“Friendly, Chatty and Unforgettable” Heartfelt Tribute to Little Girl Killed in Southport Stabbing
A heartfelt tribute has been paid to a ‘friendly, chatty, and unforgettable’ little girl, Elsie Dot Stancombe, a week after her tragic death. Elsie was one of three children killed in a mass stabbing in Southport on Monday, July 29, which also injured eight children and two adults at The Hart Space.
Axel Rudakubana, 17, from Banks in West Lancashire, faces three murder charges and ten attempted murder charges. A family friend revealed that Elsie was a young Liverpool fan and an avid supporter of her chosen team. “She had visited Anfield and often wore her kit with pride, along with her little sister, Rosie. Elsie was unforgettable, she was the type of little girl who everyone knew, friendly and chatty, she was able to speak and chat with the grown-ups as well as laugh and dance with her friends, which she had many of,” the friend told the ECHO.
“She was confident and had such a warmth around her, which is why so many people have been affected by this. Quite frankly, she was just loved by so many.”
In the days following the attack, tributes have flooded the coastal town. Thousands of people laid flowers, teddies, and balloons at the cordon on Hart Street. Tributes were also left at Elsie’s primary school, and the primary schools of nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar and six-year-old Bebe King, who were also killed. Additionally, a large crowd gathered for a vigil outside The Atkinson in the town center last week.
Following the deaths of the girls, riots broke out in Southport and spread across the country. Elsie’s mum, Jenni, took to social media, pleading with people to stop the violence against the officers who helped at the scene of the attack.
The family friend confirmed that the family “want to focus on the positive response, not the violence.” She continued, “Jenni said it’s not what she wanted, it’s not of any use doing that. The police don’t deserve to be treated like that after all they’ve done. The family have been to The Atkinson, they’ve blocked out all the violence and just want to appreciate the outpouring of kindness from everyone. We’ve kept the violence and everything else separate. She felt she needed to say something, it wasn’t right.”
Sefton Council has confirmed that the inquests into the deaths of the three girls will begin with preliminary hearings on Wednesday, August 7. The community continues to mourn and remember Elsie, Alice, and Bebe, focusing on their memories and the overwhelming support from the town.