A boy and a girl, both aged 15, have been charged with the murder of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey, who was stabbed to death in a park in Cheshire at the weekend. 

The teenager, who was transgender, was found wounded and lying on a path by a member of the public in Culcheth Linear Park in Warrington on Saturday afternoon, and later died at the scene.

Police investigating her death initially said there was no evidence to suggest that Brianna’s killing was hate-related, but have now said all lines of inquiry are “being explored”, including hate crime.

In a statement, Ghey’s family described their daughter as “strong, fearless and one of a kind”, adding that her death had left “a massive hole” in their lives.  

“Brianna was a much-loved daughter, granddaughter and baby sister,” they said. “She was a larger-than-life character who would leave a lasting impression on all that met her.”

A GoFundMe page set up earlier this week to support Ghey’s family has now raised over £80,000.

The page was set up in order to help them give her a “pink and colourful” funeral to match her personality. It had an original goal of £4,216, but it didn’t take long for the total to surpass that. Donations continue to flood in.

Since the news of her death broke earlier this week, Ghey’s case has risen to prominence online with celebrities and public figures alike paying tribute to the teen. These included the model and activist Munroe Bergdorf and the politician Jeremy Corbyn, who said his thoughts were “with Brianna’s family and the trans community fighting for safety, dignity and liberation”.

Tributes have also been paid on TikTok, where Ghey had a large following. 

Candlelit vigils have also started taking place across the UK for the teenager, with crowds appearing in Liverpool and Bristol last night. Further events have been scheduled in locations including London, Manchester and Glasgow over the coming days.

Image: Cheshire Police