Ava White: Inquest told Liverpool schoolgirl died from stab wound to neck

Ava White was attacked in Liverpool city centre.

Liverpool schoolgirl Ava White, 12, died from a stab wound to her neck, a coroner told an inquest on Wednesday.

Ava was attacked in Liverpool city centre on November 25 after attending the Christmas lights switch-on at Church Street.

A 14-year-old boy has been charged with her murder and will remain in custody in secure accommodation until a Liverpool Crown Court plea hearing on 18 February.

Police said Ava, who had been in town with friends, suffered “catastrophic injuries” in the assault and died a short time later at Alder Hey Hospital.

Inquest into Ava White’s death

Opening an inquest into her death on Wednesday, senior coroner for Liverpool Andre Rebello said the cause of death was a stab wound to the neck.

Mr Rebello told the hearing, at the Gerard Majella Courthouse in Liverpool, that Ava had been identified by her mother Leanne White.

He said: “Ava had attended the switching on of the lights in Liverpool town centre on November 25. At 8.33pm she was in Williamson Square.

“She then walks to Church Street, along to Church Alley, and there an incident takes place where Ava was stabbed in the neck.

“North West Ambulance Service paramedics attended and Ava was taken to Alder Hey.”

Mr Rebello said a youth had been charged with her murder and appeared in court.

He said: “In light of that appearance on the charge of murder I suspend this investigation.”

He asked the coroner’s officer to pass his condolences to Ava’s family, who were not in court for the brief hearing.

Ava’s family ‘completely devastated’

Following the death of Ava, her father said the family were “completely devastated and heartbroken”.

Robert Martin said: “We would like to say thank you to everybody for their ongoing support during this devastating time.

“Thank you to every one of you for your kind messages and donations.

“As Ava’s family we are completely devastated and heartbroken by what has happened and we ask that you respect our privacy at this time and allow us to grieve as a family.”