Brianna Ghey, a 16-year-old transgender girl, was found dead on Saturday in Linear Park in Culcheth, Cheshire, having suffered multiple stab wounds. A boy and a girl, both aged 15, have been arrested in connection with her murder. Local police are investigating the motive behind the attack and attempting to locate the murder weapon. The suspects have not been identified, and no information has been released about their relationship to Brianna.
Cheshire Constabulary detective chief superintendent Mike Evans has stated that there is no evidence to suggest that Brianna’s death was a hate crime. He described the incident as a “truly awful attack on a 16-year-old girl, who has sadly lost her very short life.” Prior to the arrests, he had characterized the murder as a “targeted attack against Brianna” and emphasized that there was no risk to the community.
Brianna’s murder has sparked an outpouring of grief on social media. Her TikTok account, which had over 11,000 followers, contained videos of her dancing and lip-synching to music. Her final post was uploaded just hours before her death. TikTok users and followers have paid tribute to her on the platform. Floral tributes have also been laid at the entrance to the cordoned-off area of the park where her body was discovered.