Two teens have been charged in connection with the murder of a transgender TikTok personality found stabbed to death in a park Feb. 11, according to multiple reports.
Police in England have arrested two 15-year-old students in connection with the stabbing death of Brianna Ghey, 16, who was found mortally wounded in Warrington’s Linear Park by passers-by, the Independent reported. The unnamed boy and girl were charged with Ghey’s murder Wednesday, according to ABC News.
Two schoolchildren have been charged with murder following the death of a 16-year-old transgender girl in an English village.https://t.co/vjWh3ZAXyJ
— CNN (@CNN) February 15, 2023
Ghey, a transgender girl, had a large TikTok fan base consisting of more than 30,000 people but reportedly had been the subject of bullying “for years” while allegedly attending Birchwood Community High School. In a TikTok posted days before Ghey was killed, the social media star posted a video entitled “Got excluded from school,” according to the outlet. (RELATED: Teens Charged With Hate Crime Over Alleged Attack On NYC Bus)
Headteacher at the school Emma Mills said faculty were “shocked and truly devastated” to hear of Ghey’s death. “This is understandably a very difficult and distressing time for many and we will do our utmost to support our pupils and wider school community,” she told the Independent.
Though Cheshire Police said there was “no evidence” to suggest Ghey was the victim of a hate crime, they are exploring a number of possibilities for motive and “doing all that [they] can to establish the exact circumstances of what has happened,” Detective Chief Superintendent Mike Evans said in a statement, according to ABC News.
In a joint statement following the teenager’s death, Ghey’s family thanked police with the Cheshire Constabulary for their support and the work they have undertaken to investigate the murder, CNN reported.
“We would like to thank everyone for their kind words and support during this extremely difficult time. We would like to thank the police for their support, and witnesses for helping with the investigation. The continuation of respect for privacy is greatly appreciated,” the family statement read, according to the outlet.
“The loss of her young life has left a massive hole in our family, and we know that the teachers and her friends who were involved in her life will feel the same,” the statement continued, CNN reported.