A third child has died following a mass stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport in North West England which occurred on Monday July 29th.

The three girls who were fatally stabbed have been identified as Alice Aguiar, 9, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Bebe King, the youngest at just 6. Five of the eight other children injured remain in hospital in critical condition alongside the two adults that were stabbed while attempting to save the children.

The Merseyside Police have charged a 17-year-old who currently faces three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder. He is due to appear in court later on Thursday.

Mere hours after the stabbing occurred there was a series of violent outbursts and protests around the town in response to the incident. Far right protestors clashed with the police as a string of misinformation led them to believe that the stabbing was carried out by an immigrant. Five men were arrested in connection to the riots.

Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer condemned the “thuggery” of the riots, stating that the protesters “hijacked” the community’s grief.

The mother of Alice Aguiar posted a heartbreaking tribute to her daughter on Facebook, according to the Liverpool echo. The tribute read: “Princess Alice. In this moment of great pain my soul hurts, my body hurts, my mind hurts. I have a lump in my throat. You were just an innocent child, a happy smiley girl with a bright life ahead of you which a despicable human being took away from you, without pity, for no reason.

Since Monday when the attack occurred, Taylor Swift fans have raised over £275,000 through their online fundraiser in an attempt to provide support to the bereaved families.

Taylor Swift has responded to the incident through a story shared in her Instagram:

Numerous figureheads have responded to the stabbing, including King Charles who made a statement shared on the Royal Family official Social media: “My wife and I have been profoundly shocked to hear of the utterly horrific incident in Southport.” In addition, both the Prince and Princess of Wales shared their condolences on X following the incident.