Two 15-year-olds have been remanded into custody after being charged with the murder of the transgender girl Brianna Ghey.
Brianna, 16, was found stabbed to death in a Warrington park on Saturday afternoon. Police have said a few lines of inquiry are being pursued, including whether it was a hate crime.
A teenage girl and boy appeared before a district judge at Chester magistrates court on Wednesday charged with murder.
Both 15-year-olds, who cannot be named because of their age, wore grey sweatshirts and grey jogging bottoms as they appeared separately in the court dock.
The parents of the girl, from Warrington, sobbed as she confirmed her name, age and date of birth.
The parents of the boy, from Leigh, held hands for the duration of the 15-minute hearing and at one point the father waved towards his son.
Both defendants were remanded into youth detention accommodation by the district judge John McGarva, who addressed the hearing via video link.
McGarva refused bail and said the defendants must be remanded into youth detention accommodation given the seriousness of the allegations.
They were both ordered to appear at Liverpool crown court on Thursday morning.
Cheshire constabulary said: “The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against both 15-year-olds are now active and that they have the right to a fair trial. It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
The teenagers had been in custody since their arrest on Monday. Detectives have urged the public to “avoid speculation online and be wary of sharing misinformation relating to this case”.
Vigils were held in cities across the UK on Tuesday night in memory of the teenager, who was described by her family as “strong, fearless, one of a kind”. In Liverpool, a crowd of at least 300 people gathered quietly to pay their respects.
The vigil was organised by Brianna’s friends for members and allies of the trans community in Liverpool to show support and solidarity. Alongside posters of Brianna, people held trans and LGBTQ+ pride flags. Some dressed in the trans pride flag’s colours. Further vigils have been planned for Wednesday night.
A GoFundMe page for Brianna’s parents has raised almost £90,000. It described the teenager as an “outgoing, confident girl” and added: “She brought a lot of laughter to those who knew her. She was looking forward to taking her exams this year and beginning her journey into the adult world.”