Parents of girl killed in Southport attack read daughter her favourite bedtime story before funeral

Bebe King's parents had a week with her successful the bereavement suite astatine Liverpool's Alder Hey children's infirmary - and earlier her funeral, they work her favourite bedtime story

The parents of 1 of the girls who were killed portion attending a Taylor Swift-themed creation people successful Southport successful July past twelvemonth work their girl her favourite bedtime communicative up of her "beautiful" funeral.

Bebe King's mum and dada had a week with their miss successful the bereavement suite astatine Liverpool's Alder Hey children's hospital. Her mum said: "We spent a week with her and she was perfect. She had pyjamas on.

"There were nighttime lights and it was similar she was asleep. Even though it was hard for america astatine first, we cognize now, for us, it was the close happening to do. I held her hand. All our household came. We got her christened."

On the past time her mum and dada work her favourite publication to her, Jack and the Beanstalk. Her mum said: "I kissed her and that's however we volition retrieve her." The pursuing day, Bebe was taken to St Cuthbert's religion successful Southport successful a achromatic equine and carriage for a backstage household funeral.

Her mum said: "It was beautiful. It was Bebe's religion for the day. She utilized to emotion this T-shirt that said 'Strong Girls Club' connected it. All our friends and household wore them. We made everybody a small bundle of bracelets."

She besides thanked the municipality for the mode radical had helped, saying: "It's astir this community. It has brought airy successful the darkness." Elsie's ceremonial was held astatine St John's religion successful Birkdale. Her uncle Chris said: "It was an astonishing day. The assemblage came out. It was similar a authorities funeral. There were thousands."

Talking to The Sunday Times 2 weeks aft slayer Axel Rudakubana, 18, was jailed for beingness with a minimum of 52 years, Bebe's dada said helium searched the streets of Southport to look for his girl aft learning of the calamity arsenic helium hoped she was being looked aft successful someone's house. But his world came crashing down erstwhile a constabulary serviceman approached him to pass him that his six-year-old kid had passed away.

The heartbroken dada said: "We had fixed radical Bebe's description. When that idiosyncratic came towards me, I could consciousness the humor drain from maine and I went cold. I knew she was going to archer maine something. And she did. 'Are you Bebe's dad?' As soon arsenic I said yes she said she had passed away."

Bebe's mum, who was conscionable down her dad, fell to her genu screaming, the paper reported. The child's uncle, who was there, said helium volition ne'er hide the dependable of her screams. Bebe's mum said she has nary representation of what happened erstwhile she learnt of the calamity - and paramedics draped her successful blankets to support her warm. She said: "They told maine Bebe had died erstwhile I was lasting connected the country of a street."

The household were past taken into the location of a comparative who lived close-by. The adjacent day, Bebe's aunt was getting joined and the full household was engaged preparing for the wedding - but the wedding got cancelled aft the miss was killed. Bebe's begetter said: "We were successful that location and the full household came. I called my mum and sister and they were astatine the wedding venue. The wedding got cancelled."

Sentencing the slayer connected January 23, Judge Mr Justice Goose described his actions arsenic "the astir extreme, shocking and exceptionally superior crime". He added: "During the condemnation hearing, Axel Rudakubana was determined to disrupt the proceedings truthful helium would not person to look the victims of his crimes and look justice." Before helium passed sentence, the justice said: "I see it is apt astatine this clip that helium volition ne'er beryllium released."