Ava White: What happened to 12-year-old killed in Liverpool?

Schoolgirl Ava White was just 12 when she was fatally stabbed in the neck after turning on the Christmas lights.

On the fateful evening of November 25 last year, she was in Liverpool city center for the event.

A teenager, whose name cannot be released for legal reasons, has now been convicted of her murder.

But what happened to Ava and who is her killer? You need to know.

Ava had been in town with friends on Thursday after the Christmas lights were switched on when she was stabbed and suffered “catastrophic injuries” just before 8.40pm on Thursday.

When police arrived at the scene, they found Ava, who was with friends, collapsed on the ground and was receiving first aid from a member of the public.

Paramedics arrived and she was taken to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital where she died shortly thereafter.

The trial of the teenager convicted of murdering her heard Ava had said to her friends “don’t leave me” as she lay on the ground after being stabbed.

It also said the friends were downtown when they noticed the defendant was filming Ava with three other boys and asked them to delete the videos.

The group of boys had walked away, but then the defendant called back, “Look at your condition,” and Ava “turns around.”

The 14-year-old boy who stabbed Ava cannot be named for legal reasons. During his trial, he told the court he wanted to “intimidate” Ava after an altercation and that he “didn’t intend” to hit her.

The youth was arrested at around 10.30pm on November 25 after initially telling his mother that he was “not going into the cells”.

At the end of his first police interview, he told an officer, “Shut up, you n***e.”

During interviews, he denied being downtown the night of the murder, claimed another boy was responsible, gave numerous “no comment” replies, told police, “I don’t mind,” and said, “I’m fucking not. *** to know”.

In his statement, the teenager was asked why he lied to the police and he said he thought he would “get away with it”.

He added, “I was afraid I was going to jail.”

The boy was accompanied by an intermediary throughout the process, which he participated in via video link.

The court heard that the knife used in the stabbing belonged to the boy, and after Ava was hit in the neck, he ran away, throwing away his knife and removing his coat, which was later found in a garbage can .

After her death, her father Robert Martin said the family was “completely devastated and heartbroken.”

Peter Duffy, Headmaster at Ava’s school, Notre Dame Catholic College in Everton, said: “She was an incredibly popular girl with a fantastic group of friends.”

Rebecca Flynn, Headmistress of Ava’s former school, Trinity RC Primary, said: “Our prayers and thoughts are with Ava’s family and friends. We are left with lasting memories of a bright and respectful little girl.”

Hundreds of people came to pay their respects to Ava at a vigil held in her memory in December.

Hundreds of balloons, some in the shape of the letter A, were released at the start of the vigil.

Many people wore hoodies with Ava’s face on them and others had her name written on their faces.

At Ava’s funeral, the Archbishop of Liverpool, Most Rev Malcolm McMahon, said: “We know that Ava was a popular young person and had many friends across Liverpool. Many of you who are here today will have special memories of her – 12 years of very special moments.

“I was told she would try anything once – even the carnival rides, which she wasn’t big enough for.

“Some of you will remember her as a go-getter or as a genuine personality who always brightened the day or moment with her presence.

“Ava was a lovely young person who loved to sing and dance. She loved going on vacation and making up her own dances – she was very energetic and famous on TikTok. She was particularly good at mixed martial arts and soccer.

“This strong willed girl Ava was loved by so many people. Heaven will be a happier place because of their exuberance. She will no doubt have taken it by storm.”

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