Elsie Dot Stancombe

Elsie Dot Stancombe, a 7-year-old White British girl, was murdered on 29 July 2024 while attending a Taylor Swift-themed holiday dance class in Southport. A bright, energetic and much-loved little girl, she was one of three children killed in the horrific mass stabbing.

She was killed by Axel Rudakubana, a 17-year-old of Rwandan heritage.

Rudakubana, was a 17-year-old with a troubled history of behavioural issues, including repeated knife possession, violence at school (leading to expulsion), poor attendance at specialist provisions, and three Prevent referrals between 2019 and 2021 for interests in school shootings, terrorism-related material, and extreme violence, though no ideological motive was ever identified.

On 29 July 2024, he carried out the Southport stabbings at a Taylor Swift-themed children’s dance class, stabbing randomly with a knife he had bought online and killing three young girls — Bebe King (6), Elsie Dot Stancombe (7), and Alice da Silva Aguiar (9) — while attempting to murder eight other children (aged 6–11, many suffering multiple severe stab wounds, including one girl stabbed 33 times who lost her entire blood volume and another with life-threatening back wounds that fractured bones) and two adults, dance instructor Leanne Lucas and Jonathan Hayes, who bravely intervened to protect the children.

He was sentenced to Custody for Life with a minimum term of 52 years. Since his arrest he has shown no remorse, reportedly expressing gladness that the children died, was disruptive and removed from court during proceedings, and has allegedly been involved in violence against prison staff while in custody.

Rest in peace Elsie. You will not be forgotten.