Southport victim's family condemn killer's parents for 'failures'

Southport Victim's Family Condemn Killer's Parents for Failures

Child C1, whose identity is protected, tried to escape from a Taylor Swift-themed dance class before Axel Rudakubana pulled her back inside and stabbed her 33 times. The family of a survivor from the Southport stabbings denounced the killer’s parents, calling them neglectful and cowardly for not preventing the tragedy that claimed the lives of three young girls.

The Attack and Its Victims

The assault, carried out by then-17-year-old Rudakubana on July 29, 2024, left three girls dead — Elsie Dot Stancombe, aged seven, Bebe King, six, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine. Another ten individuals, including Child C1, were seriously injured during the rampage.

Family's Statement on Failures

“The attack occurred because of repeated failures, missed opportunities, and a lack of accountability across many agencies and individuals, not least due to the reprehensible, neglectful, and cowardly behaviour of the parents.”

They emphasized that those who confronted Rudakubana showed courage that sharply contrasted with the inaction of people who had contact with him before he entered The Hart Space.

“He should have never got to them; and every moment, right up until the second he did, someone could and should have stopped him. This should never have happened.”

Father’s Statement

During the Southport Inquiry, Rudakubana’s father, Alphonse, 49, addressed the victims’ families, admitting the horror of his son’s acts.

“My youngest son was a monster who murdered your beautiful angels.”

Author’s Summary

The Southport Inquiry exposed the deep pain of victims’ families and raised serious questions about systemic failures that allowed a preventable tragedy to unfold.

Daily Mail — 2025-11-07