Bill's Comment Page

Strangled at a Christmas Party - a 10 year old girl

Imagine. You are invited to a post-Christmas drinks party with family friends. You are told you can take your children along, as there will be other children present and they can play together, in complete safety, upstairs. Whilst the adults enjoy a civilised evening downstairs, with the 60 or so guests mingling and conversing amiably.

I've been to a number of such drinks parties over the years myself and they have mostly proved to be relaxing and happy events. Indeed, this year I hosted a very enjoyable buffet luncheon for about a dozen people on Boxing Day and there were several young children amongst the guests who, as with the case I am describing, hurtled around the house whilst parents mainly occupied themselves with eating lunch and having enjoyable conversation.

For a young girl, attending the drinks party with her parents and two older brothers, the evening of 28th December turned out badly, however. Rosie May Storrie of Bottesford (Leicestershire) was discovered by one of the other children, strangled but possibly not yet dead in one of the upstairs bedrooms. Staff at the hospital in Sheffield where she was taken were unable to revive her.

Charged with her murder yesterday was the 17-year old son of some of the other guests. It so happens he is a nephew of the hosts of the party, and had attended with his own parents and brother.

Is nothing sacred? I thought I was pretty unshockable, but this incident has really got to me. I know that, statistically, murdered children are usually found to be the victims of people they knew, but the audacity of this crime (with several dozen people only a room or so away and other children playing within feet) really leaves me aghast.