A nine-year-old girl who was allegedly fatally stabbed by a teenage boy would have died "very swiftly" from her injury, a pathologist has told a court.
Aria Thorpe lost her life after suffering a knife wound to the chest at her home in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, on 15 December last year.
The 16-year-old boy, who cannot be identified due to his age, denies charges of murder and manslaughter in relation to Aria's death.
Bristol Crown Court has heard that the boy fled to a nearby train station following the incident, where he told a group of children that he had killed Aria accidentally.
Pathologist's evidence
Dr Amanda Jeffery, a Home Office pathologist, informed jurors that Aria died as a result of a single stab wound to the chest, which penetrated her heart.
"Injuries to the heart of this nature can result in sudden collapse and incapacitation," the pathologist said. "Some victims are capable of a short period of movement before they collapse."
Dr Jeffery stated that the pattern of blood at the scene indicated that Aria collapsed "very quickly".
"Aria would have died very swiftly from an injury of this nature," she added.
The court was told Aria had a stab wound measuring 3.2cm wide and between 7.5 and 8cm deep.
Jurors were presented with a large kitchen knife featuring a green plastic handle and a 21cm-long blade, which Dr Jeffery confirmed was "capable of producing the wound that was present".
She noted there were no further cuts to Aria's body and no defensive-type injuries. The court was told that pathologists assess the minimum level of force needed to inflict a wound, with the scale running from mild and moderate through to severe.
Dr Jeffery informed the jury that in this instance, the minimum level of force would be classified as "mild", though greater force may have been used.
Timeline of events
Aria attended school on the day she died and was collected from an after-school dance class by her mother, Tori Hull, at around 4.30pm.
The pair went shopping for mini pizzas and toppings, which they prepared together. Ms Hull then departed for an evening work shift, leaving Aria watching YouTube videos on the television.
Family friend Ollie Sheppard, who was temporarily lodging at the property, arrived home from work at approximately 6pm to discover Aria lying on the living room floor.
In a 999 call read out to the jury, Mr Sheppard told the call operator: "I have literally just got home from work, I've come through the door and came into the living room. A little girl who lives here is on her front. I have turned her over and she is covered in blood. There looks like a stab wound. Her face is going grey. Oh my god."
Officers and paramedics rushed to the address, but Aria could not be saved and was pronounced dead at 6.58pm.
The teenage defendant was subsequently arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after boarding a train at Worle railway station.
During his police interview, he provided a prepared statement describing how he had stabbed Aria "in the chest", later telling officers: "Just wish I never did it". The trial, presided over by Mrs Justice O'Farrell, is ongoing.
