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The first of three funerals for the young girls fatally stabbed at a dance class in Southport nearly two weeks ago will take place today.
Nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar will be laid to rest at St Patrick’s Catholic Church in Merseyside at 2pm.
Described as “amazing, caring and confident”, Alice was killed alongside Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, as they attended a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on 29 July.
The service and cremation will be followed by a wake at Crossens Community Centre. Her family said both will be private events.
Suspect Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, 17, has been charged three counts of murder and 10 of attempted murder in connection with the tragedy.
Father John Heneghan, the parish priest of St Patrick Catholic Church described Alice as “one of our most precious children”.
He said: “It is going to be profoundly sad, but it’s not only going to be that, because we will be looking into what her parents believe.
“Alexandra and Sergio, her mother and father, believe in the resurrection. They don’t believe this is the end.
“So the way they express that is ‘let her dance to heaven’, because she loved dancing, and that is a beautiful image.”
Father Heneghan also paid tribute to Elsie and Bebe, saying his heart reached out to their families and all those affected by the stabbings.
“Our hearts reach out to her family and the families of the two other girls who died and those who are injured. We hold in our hearts all who are affected by the terrible stabbings in our town,” he said.
On Saturday, the family of victim Bebe revealed their older daughter witnessed and managed to escape the attack.
Parents Lauren and Ben King praised the extreme bravery of their daughter Genie, who saw the horrific attack unfold.
“She has shown such incredible strength and courage, and we are so proud of her,” they said in a statement released via Merseyside Police.
“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.”
Soon after the attack, false claims of the suspect’s identity were spread online with some posts speculating he was a Muslim migrant who had arrived in the UK by boat in 2023.
Far-right riots then engulfed the country, with over 700 people arrested and 300 charged in relation to the violent disorder.
In Rotherham, South Yorkshire, a far-right mob tried to set fire to a Holiday Inn Express believed to be housing asylum seekers.
Towns and cities including Liverpool, Newcastle and Birmingham also saw widespread violence, with people arrested for offences ranging from violent disorder to theft and antisocial behaviour.
