Good Morning Britain’s Susanna Reid was visibly emotional as she interviewed the parents of the Southport victims, who shared their last moments with their daughters in a heart-wrenching TV appearance.
The interview with the parents of Bebe King and Elsie Dot Stancombe aired during Monday’s (February 10) episode.
Susanna was deeply moved as the bereaved families remembered their “beautiful” daughters and recounted the horrific events of July 2024.
Six-year-old Bebe and seven-year-old Elsie were tragically killed alongside nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar on July 29 last year, when Axel Rudakubana launched a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, Merseyside.
Bebe’s parents, who cannot be named for legal reasons, tearfully described their daughter’s final moments at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, reports .
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Susanna Reid and Ed Balls were emotional (Image: ITV)
They also expressed their gratitude to the staff at the hospital’s Snowdrops Bereavement Suite for allowing them a “profound” final week with their daughter.
“She was in her pyjamas, we read to her. The family visited her on the final day. We lay next to her and we said our final goodbye,” Bebe’s mother revealed.
“We had the most beautiful and profound week with Bebe. It’s not what any other parent would ever want to experience but we saw her and we were with her, and she was beautiful. She was at peace, she just looked like she was asleep.”
Elsie and Bebe’s parents spoke for the first time (Image: ITV)
“And at first, it was really quite traumatic, but since last week, we just realised what a huge gift that was for us because she was at peace and that’s how I want her to be remembered.
Elsie’s parents, Jenni and David, celebrated their daughter’s creativity and “natural flair to design.”
“From day one, I’ve always said, ‘Elsie didn’t know bad.’ She was fearless in a sense,” Jenni reflected, while David chimed in: “She was so brave.”
The couple also recounted the unforgettable moment they met Taylor Swift after the superstar invited them backstage at Wembley, saying: “If Elsie knew that Taylor knew her, it’s like all her dreams had come true.”
Elsie and Bebe’s parents opened up to Susanna Reid (Image: ITV)
They discussed their conversation with the Prime Minister, Sir , expressing support for the proposed public inquiry to hold individuals accountable for certain decisions.
“Our town, our country, has shown us nothing but support, compassion, and love. We started a charity called Elsie’s Story,” they shared.
“There’s been so many times when we’ve said, ‘We’ll never feel ‘true’ happiness again, ever.’ It might just be a little bit of something when we make another child smile for Elsie.”
, visibly moved during the interview, told Ed Balls: “I felt when I was talking to the parents, I said, ‘It feels like your daughters are here.’ And they said that they feel their presence,” as she struggled to hold back tears.
The families wish to preserve that spirit, and when listening to the interviews, one can sense the essence of the girls through their parents’ courageous words.
They also expressed that the sentencing of the man responsible for their daughters’ deaths should not have been broadcast, as they wanted the girls to be remembered for their “pure light” and “pure joy” rather than the tragic events that befell them.
Axel Rudakubana received a life sentence with a minimum term of 52 years, one of the longest minimum terms ever recorded.
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays at 6am on ITV.