A coroner has heard that a 17-year-old girl found dead at her home in Wales succumbed to multiple sharp force injuries.
Details of a tragic incident
The brief hearing was told that Lainie Williams suffered multiple knife wounds during an incident at an address on Wheatley Place, Cefn Fforest, Gwent, on November 13, 2025. Emergency services were called to the scene after her mother, Rhian Stephens, dialled 999 to report her daughter was being attacked.
Paramedics pronounced Lainie deceased at the location. Her 38-year-old mother was also injured during the event and required hospital treatment, but she survived.
Coroner's proceedings and cause of death
Area coroner for Gwent, Rose Farmer, opened the inquest, stating it was necessary due to the violent nature of the death. A post-mortem examination conducted at the University Hospital Wales in Cardiff by a Home Office forensic pathologist provided a provisional cause of death.
The cause was listed as 1a multiple sharp force injuries. Formal identification was carried out by Lainie's mother on the day of her death.
No family members were present at this preliminary hearing. Coroner Farmer adjourned the full inquest to August 24, 2026, to allow for ongoing inquiries.
Ongoing criminal investigation and trial
While the coroner did not discuss details of the police investigation, it is known that Cameron Cheng, 18, of Newbridge, Gwent, has been charged in connection with the incident.
He faces charges of:
- The murder of Lainie Williams
- The attempted murder of Rhian Stephens
- Possession of a bladed article
Cheng is scheduled to stand trial at Cardiff Crown Court in May 2026. The trial is expected to last for three weeks.
