Mother of murdered 12-year-old schoolgirl Ava White breaks down in court as murderer sentenced
The mother of 12-year-old schoolgirl Ava White says she has "nothing to live for" after her daughter's brutal murder.
Ava White died in hospital after being stabbed in the neck by a teenage boy over a Snapchat row in Liverpool on 25 November 2021.
Her murderer - referred to only as Boy A due to legal reasons - will be sentenced on Monday, 11 July.
The teenage boy put his head in his hands as Ava's mother, Leanne, and sister, Mia, 18, tearfully read their statements to the court.
More than 20 of Ava's family and friends were in the public gallery.
Leanne said the "light of my life was dimmed forever" when she her daughter was killed and that her "heart is broken".Leanne said: "It’s the past, the present and the future. It’s not one horrific moment, our lives became permanently divided into before and after.“My beloved Ava dies all over again every morning I wake up. My Ava dies again every moment she’s not with us for the rest of my life.“She was my life, the life and soul of the party. She was a happy, healthy child adored by her family. The light of my life was dimmed forever.“Now I have nothing to live for. I remember how excited she was for Christmas. Never could I imagine I would never see my beautiful baby alive again.“My heart is broken. I will never hear her laughter or hold her in my arms. Precious memories are all I have left of my Ava.“Ava was a kind-hearted little girl. She was more than happy to offer support where it was needed, and people would come to her knowing she would do her best for them.“I will never see her grow into an adult, marry or give birth to children.”
The heartbroken mother said her daughter wanted to travel the world and would have had a “wonderful life”.Leanne added: "Laughter was not missing from our home as it is now, neither was happiness.“We were once a happy family getting on with our lives. I was once outgoing, but I now dread each new day. My baby was murdered.“All this horror was caused by an individual who insisted on recording Ava on his phone. She was 12 years old, a child.“She had only gone to watch the lights being switched on for Christmas. How could we ever imagine this would lead to her death?“Rest in peace my baby girl, you are loved."
Leanne ended her statement by thanking the people of Liverpool for their continued kindness since the death of her daughter, and Merseyside Police.
Mia, Ava's sister, also read an emotional victim statement to the court on Monday, sharing details of their close relationship.
She said she experiences flashbacks every day of that "horrific night" and says the pain of losing Ava is "never-ending".
She said: “Since that evening, my life has gone to a standstill. From the minute my sister was taken, I’m a shadow of my former loving sister.“Seeing my cousins laugh and play hurts me. I have a picture of Ava which I kiss every day. It shouldn’t be a picture, it should be here.“Every day I experience flashbacks and nightmares of that horrific night. The unnecessary horrendous murder of my sister has really shocked and frightened me.“To cover up a murder in such a cold and calculated way. A 14-year-old boy should not take the life of another child.“I try so hard to be as strong as I can for my mum, who should never have to bury her child.”
Mia, who hopes to give talks in schools across the city highlighting the impact of knife crime, added: "My life as it was has changed. I miss my sister."The pain is never-ending. The day my sister died is yesterday, today and forever."
The court heard Ava's paternal grandfather Robert, 72, had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder following her death.
A statement from Ava's father Robert Martin was read to the court.
He said: "Ava was the reason I got out of bed, my reason for living. When Ava was taken away it destroyed everything I stood for and worked towards."
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know