Boy, 14, charged with murder of 12-year-old Ava White
28 November 2021, 22:30 | Updated: 28 November 2021, 23:27
A 14-year-old boy has been charged with the murder of 12-year-old Ava White.
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The young girl was stabbed in Liverpool city centre on Thursday.
The teenage boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was also charged with possession of a bladed article and has been remanded in custody to appear in court tomorrow.
Merseyside Police said three other boys were arrested and conditionally bailed as officers continue to investigate.
The force's Detective Superintendent Sue Coombs said: "We're continuing to support Ava's family, and they have requested that their privacy continues to be respected at this difficult time.
"It's also vitally important as we continue the investigation that nobody posts comments or names on social media which could potentially impact upon us getting justice for Ava's family.
"Please trust us that we are doing all we can to investigate and update people on this tragic incident, and we do not want anything to jeopardise this."
Police have also asked anyone who took photos or footage of what happened, or the aftermath, to send it via this link.
Alternatively, call 101, use Merseyside Police Contact Centre on Facebook with reference 21000820789 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 with any information.
Ava had been spending time with friends seeing a Christmas lights switch-on when she suffered "catastrophic injuries".
Police said she was involved in an argument which escalated into an "assault on her with a knife".
Ava, who has been described as "popular" and "bubbly", was taken to Alder Hey Children's Hospital after paramedics arrived but died shortly later.
Tributes have been left to the Notre Dame Catholic College pupil.
A 17-year-old, who asked only to be known as Lacey, said: "She was just a bubbly character, so loving and caring.
"She came out with her friends to enjoy herself and I think it's just wrong that this has happened."
Her school's headteacher Peter Duffy said: "She was an incredibly popular girl with a fantastic group of friends."
