UK - Scarlett Vickers (14) stabbed to death at home in Darlington. Parents charged with murder (5 July '24)

[bobbymkii]

A mother and father have appeared in court accused of murdering their 14-year-old daughter who, the court heard, was fatally stabbed.

Simon Vickers, 49, and Sarah Hall, 44, of Darlington, who have been charged with murder, appeared at Newton Aycliffe magistrates court in County Durham on Monday.

Parents accused of Darlington murder of 14-year-old daughter appear in court

Scarlett Vickers, daughter of Simon Vickers and Sarah Hall, was killed by a single knife wound to the chest, court told

www.theguardian.com

 

[dotr]

Mother and father in court accused of murdering 14-year-old daughter

Simon Vickers and Sarah Hall appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court this morning charged with murdering their 14-year-old daughter Scarlett Vickers on Friday, July 6.

www.dailymail.co.uk

rbbm
'She suffered a single knife wound to the chest resulting in her death. This is not a matter that can be dealt with here and I ask the case be sent to the crown court.'

Georgia Snowden, representing Hall - who shook throughout the five minute hearing - said: 'There is a dispute over the facts of the case. My client is absolutely distraught.'

Amrit Jandoo, for Vickers, said that he also disputed the facts likely to be presented by the prosecution when the case next comes to court.

District Judge Steven Hudd told Vickers and Hall: 'The offence of murder is one which can only be heard at crown court. I am sending your case to Teesside Crown Court for a plea and case management hearing on August 5.'''

 

[bobbymkii]

If there's only one knife wound, then surely that means there's only one stabbist?

 

[wtiger]

yes but both are potential or suspected stabbists!...they probably hope one will turn on the other

 

[Skigh]

Pictured: Schoolgirl, 14, who died after 'single stab wound to chest'

Scarlett Vickers was found fatally injured at a house in, Darlington, County Durham, by the emergency services shortly after 11pm on Friday.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[StillDiggin]

'Distraught' mum shakes in dock as she's charged with murder of teen daughter

Simon Vickers, 49, and Sarah Hall, 44, of Geneva Road, Darlington, appeared in court charged with the murder of their 14-year-old daughter Scarlett Vickers who died of a stab wound

www.mirror.co.uk

 

[Amonet]

Pictured: Schoolgirl, 14, who died after 'single stab wound to chest'

Scarlett Vickers was found fatally injured at a house in, Darlington, County Durham, by the emergency services shortly after 11pm on Friday.

www.dailymail.co.uk

The article says the parents are 'disputing the facts' of the case. I wonder if we'll find out what that means? I suspect they dispute it as being murder?

 

[Parker Knoll]

I await with bated breath their version of events.
Self defence / fell on the knife ?

 

[Dotta]

This
(about a mother)

"She always smiled and said hello"

I cannot count how many times I read this expression following cases on WS.

And other things which set an alarm for me:

- "They kept themselves to themselves".
- "I saw the girl often walking up and down the street"

Like loitering, not happy/loath to return home???

What a tragedy!
Only 14 years old

RIP to the victim

 

[LadyL]

beautiful girl Scarlett
suffered the ultimate betrayal by a parent

 

[Helen_Stewart]

Tributes to schoolgirl, 14, stabbed to death as parents charged with murder

According to this report and others, there is nothing to suggest that anything was wrong with the family, nor that the teenager was neglected in any way:

Her school described her as a: 'lovely girl and important member' of the school community.
She was always immaculately turned out, respectful and polite. A very friendly girl with a great sense of humour, she was popular with her friends and will be greatly missed by everyone at school.'

One neighbour said: 'Scarlett was full of life and she was always out with her friends like a normal 14-year-old girl.'

Another neighbour said: 'I used to see their daughter playing in the garden, they've always seemed like a completely normal, pleasant family.'

I wonder what happened to bring about this tragedy. The parents sound as if they are going to blame the other for the stabbing.
Could it be that they were in the middle of a heated argument, one of them grabbed a knife. Their daughter hears the commotion and gets in the middle of it. One of them accidentally stabs her.

Poor girl, RIP.

 

[Mack the Knife]

@bobbymkii could you share a little context on the procedures of the relevant courts? (Eg. disputing the facts, moving to crown court, etc.) I’m completely unfamiliar with this context.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

So something happened quickly when someone was angry, or what? To a teenage daughter. Whomever did it, just admit what you did and face up to what comes.

Hopefully at least one of them tells the complete truth and forensics will match it.

You never know what happens behind closed doors in the homes of others.

 

[Helen_Stewart]

Hopefully at least one of them tells the complete truth and forensics will match it.

You'd think so, wouldn't you? Especially since whoever used the knife will have their fingerprints on it, so it doesn't make sense for them not to own up.

 

[Sarahlou]

You'd think so, wouldn't you? Especially since whoever used the knife will have their fingerprints on it, so it doesn't make sense for them not to own up.

It might have fingerprints on it from both of them if it was a knife they used in the kitchen.

 

[Helen_Stewart]

It might have fingerprints on it from both of them if it was a knife they used in the kitchen.

Good point, and definitely a possibility. Although if it had been washed, they wouldn't be able to take fingerprints from it previous to the stabbing.

 

[Amonet]

There might be an issue with fingerprints if one of them pulled the knife out and those prints are over other prints.

 

[Helen_Stewart]

Another possibility is that whoever grabbed the knife was trying to use it, and the other adult fought with them and now both their fingerprints are on it.

 

[Helen_Stewart]

An odd detail that stuck out in my mind is a comment by one of the neighbours:

'There wasn't any sign of trouble that night, the first anyone knew was when the police cars and ambulance arrived.'

If the neighbours didn't hear anything and weren't aware of any trouble that night, who called the police?

 

[Sarahlou]

I assumed it was one of the parents who called the emergency services. Unless Scarlett didn't die immediately and she managed to phone for help.