Bebe King’s parents had a week with her in the bereavement suite at Liverpool’s Alder Hey children’s hospital – and before her funeral, they read her favourite bedtime story
The parents of one of the girls who were killed while attending a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport in July last year read their daughter her favourite bedtime story ahead of her “beautiful” funeral.
Bebe King’s mum and dad had a week with their girl in the bereavement suite at 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 night lights and it was like she was asleep. Even though it was hard for us at first, we know now, for us, it was the right thing to do. I held her hand. All our family came. We got her christened.”
On the last day her mum and dad read her favourite book to her, Jack and the Beanstalk. Her mum said: “I kissed her and that’s how we will remember her.” The following day, Bebe was taken to St Cuthbert’s church in Southport in a white horse and carriage for a private family funeral.
Her mum said: “It was beautiful. It was Bebe’s church for the day. She used to love this T-shirt that said ‘Strong Girls Club’ on it. All our friends and family wore them. We made everybody a little package of bracelets.”
She also thanked the town for the way people had helped, saying: “It’s about this community. It has brought light in the darkness.” Elsie’s funeral was held at St John’s church in Birkdale. Her uncle Chris said: “It was an amazing day. The community came out. It was like a state funeral. There were thousands.”
Talking to The Sunday Times two weeks after killer Axel Rudakubana, 18, was jailed for life with a minimum of 52 years, Bebe’s dad said he searched the streets of Southport to look for his daughter after learning of the tragedy as he hoped she was being looked after in someone’s house. But his world came crashing down when a police officer approached him to inform him that his six-year-old child had passed away.
The heartbroken dad said: “We had given people Bebe’s description. When that person came towards me, I could feel the blood drain from me and I went cold. I knew she was going to tell me something. And she did. ‘Are you Bebe’s dad?’ As soon as I said yes she said she had passed away.”
Bebe’s mum, who was just behind her dad, fell to her knee screaming, the newspaper reported. The child’s uncle, who was there, said he will never forget the sound of her screams. Bebe’s mum said she has no memory of what happened when she learnt of the tragedy – and paramedics draped her in blankets to keep her warm. She said: “They told me Bebe had died when I was standing on the corner of a street.”
The family were then taken into the home of a relative who lived close-by. The next day, Bebe’s aunt was getting married and the whole family was busy preparing for the wedding – but the wedding got cancelled after the girl was killed. Bebe’s father said: “We were in that house and the whole family came. I called my mum and sister and they were at the wedding venue. The wedding got cancelled.”
Sentencing the killer on January 23, Judge Mr Justice Goose described his actions as “the most extreme, shocking and exceptionally serious crime”. He added: “During the sentence hearing, Axel Rudakubana was determined to disrupt the proceedings so he would not have to face the victims of his crimes and face justice.” Before he passed sentence, the judge said: “I consider it is likely at this time that he will never be released.”