Two schoolchildren charged with the murder of Brianna Ghey appeared in court for the first time this morning.
The boy and girl cannot be named due to their age. They made an initial appearance at Chester Magistrates' Court this morning after being charged over the stabbing of 16-year-old Brianna on Saturday.
The two suspects appeared separately in the dock and spoke only to confirm their names and addresses during the short hearing. Both were supported by their parents in court, and were flanked by one dock officer throughout the hearing.
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The court heard the manner of Brianna's death was "extremely brutal and punishing". The girl, from Warrington, and the boy, from Leigh, were remanded into youth detention by District Judge Jack McGarva to appear at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday.
The teenager's body was discovered by members of the public at around 3.13pm on a path in Linear Park, in the upscale village of Culcheth on the outskirts of Warrington. Cheshire Police said she had suffered multiple stab wounds.
There has been an outpouring of grief about Brianna's death. She was well-known for her popular TikTok account. Brianna, who was transgender, was also remembered for helping other young people with issues relating to their gender identity.
Police dog teams and forensic officers could be seen scouring open fields between Linear Park and a housing estate on Sunday.
Speculation has continued around whether the murder was a hate crime. Cheshire Police said on Sunday detectives had "no evidence at this time" the attack was hate related, but then said on Tuesday they were "exploring all lines of enquiry including whether this was a hate crime".
In a statement shared via Cheshire Police, Brianna's family paid a moving tribute to the Birchwood High School pupil on Monday. They said: "Brianna was a much loved daughter, granddaughter, and baby sister. She was a larger than life character who would leave a lasting impression on all that met her. Brianna was beautiful, witty and hilarious. Brianna was strong, fearless and one of a kind.
"The loss of her young life has left a massive hole in our family, and we know that the teachers and her friends who were involved in her life will feel the same.
"We would like to thank everyone for their kind words and support during this extremely difficult time. We would like to thank the police for their support, and witnesses for helping with the investigation."
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