Warning: Highly disturbing story. A seven-year-old girl has been stabbed to death as she played at a park in Bolton, Manchester. According to some reports, the attacker was a Somali immigrant, although police have not yet released the attacker’s identity.
Emily Jones was stabbed in the neck in front of her horrified father on Mother’s Day as she rode her scooter past a 30-year-old female sitting on a bench at Queen’s Park.
According to Greater Manchester Police, as the young girl past, the woman on the bench suddenly attacked Emily, causing catastrophic injury. Emily was taken to Salford Royal Hospital but tragically died shortly after.
The woman, who was unknown to Emily’s family, was arrested at the scene and taken to a secure facility under the Mental Health Act.
Acting senior coroner Alan Walsh has opened an inquest into Emily’s death after describing the incident as “one of the most tragic” he’s dealt with in 20 years.
“I send my heartfelt condolences to Emily’s family and friends, but particularly to her parents, who were present in the park and her father, who was nearby.
“In my 20 years as a coroner this is one of the most tragic deaths that I have dealt with and the loss of a beautiful, innocent, lively, intelligent and lovely seven-year-old in these circumstances is an unimaginable tragedy.”
Emily’s parents said she was their only child and the “light of our lives.”
“She was always full of joy, love and laughter,” the said. “Emily had such a cheeky smile and was beautiful inside and out. She had a heart as big as her smile.”
Emily’s parents went on to say, “This random act of violence means that we will never get to see our beautiful little girl grow up into the wonderful young lady she was showing such promise of becoming.
“It is truly heartbreaking to wake up to a world without Emily in it and we cannot comprehend why this has happened.”
Between 2015 and 2018, knife crime offences in Greater Manchester rose by 89%. Last year it was revealed that nine knife crimes are reported every day in Greater Manchester. Nationally, figures revealed knife crime in England and Wales hit a record high in 2019, up more than 7% on the previous 12 month period.
What will it take for our leaders to realise that this is a culture and ideological issue? Evil actions proceed from evil intentions and evil intentions are formed by evil worldviews.
