Brianna Ghey’s mother, Esther, has spoken out about her daughter’s tragic death in a poignant new ITV documentary. The teenager was heartbreakingly murdered two years prior when she fell victim to a stabbing by two 15 year olds in Culcheth Linear Park, Warrington.
Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe are currently behind bars on life sentences for the murder of Brianna, a crime driven by transphobia and sadism in 2023. Throughout the emotional one-and-a-half-hour film, viewers hear from those closest to Brianna, including her mother Esther and investigating detectives, as the documentary unveils the most shocking revelations….
How bullies changed ‘ball of joy’ Brianna
Reflecting on Brianna’s younger years, Esther shared that her daughter was fearless and exuded joy and vitality.
Her step-father Wes, deeply moved, concurred: “She was like a little Tasmanian Devil, running around all over the place. You couldn’t pin her down. She was obsessed with gymnastics. She loved a big cuddle with her mum and her sister. When she entered her teen years, that’s when her outgoing, chatty personality dipped. She retreated inside herself. She seemed so distant.”
Esther had been a young single parent to children Brianna and Alisha until their lives were enriched by stepfather Wes when Alisha was nine and Brianna was eight years old, reports the Mirror.
Wes later shared that Brianna’s once “outgoing, social, chatty personality” took a nosedive in her teens when she became ‘distant’ due to terrible bullying experiences.
Esther’s biggest fears
Esther’s greatest concerns surfaced during lockdown. Brianna dived into the digital world for social contact, and Esther disclosed her belief that Brianna had “multiple accounts”, leaving her uncertain about her daughter’s online activities.
Her pal Viv then mentioned they were both part of numerous group chats. Struggling to keep tabs on her daughter’s online interactions, Esther confessed it was like “a never ending stream of worry.”
Esther’s anxiety spiked over who Brianna might be engaging with online, leading her to fear the worst: coming home to find Brianna and Alicia assaulted and murdered.
Brianna’s shift to TikTok marked a new era where she gained viral fame but, unfortunately, also attracted cruel comments from online trolls.
Esther’s heartbreaking final text
In one of the documentary’s most poignant moments, Esther tearfully shares that she sent Brianna a text expressing her pride just hours before her heartbreaking death. She was elated when Brianna decided to catch a bus to see a friend after becoming increasingly withdrawn during her gender transition years.
Esther shared a heart-wrenching memory, recounting how she received an image from her anxious daughter on the bus: “She sent me a picture of her feet on the bus and said that she felt really anxious,” said Esther. She went on to explain that she had encouraged her daughter in hopes that she would enjoy stepping back into society.
“I was hoping that Brianna would go out and have a nice time re-entering society. I responded to say how good it was. I don’t know whether she ever saw how proud I was of her,” Esther added, visibly moved by the thought.
How police caught murderers
Shedding light on the investigation, Brianna’s headteacher mentioned receiving a call from the police regarding Scarlett. Subsequently, law enforcement officers identified Scarlett as a prime suspect by Sunday lunchtime; however, her male accomplice remained unknown at that time.
Crucial eyewitness accounts placed Brianna alighting the bus, with one observer distinctly confirming that Eddie Ratcliffe accompanied Scarlett Jenkinson, and all three were seen heading towards Culcheth village centre.
Triggered by this heinous act, the public made 120 calls to Cheshire police, playing a critical role in identifying Scarlett and Eddie. It wasn’t long before Eddie was marked as the second key individual involved in what officer Adam Weller described as “the most atrocious knife murder” throughout his extensive 26-year policing career.
Killer’s lies exposed by police interview tapes
In a subsequent reveal within the documentary, the captured audio from police interview sessions exposed lies spun by Scarlett and Eddie, as each tried to pin the murder on the other, marking a grim turn of deceit amidst the tragedy.
During Scarlett’s initial police interview, as shown in the documentary, she maintained that she only learned about the incident when it hit the news. While she confessed to spending time with Brianna that day, Scarlett alleged that Brianna had left her to meet a dealer.
Eddie then claimed he had turned away to ‘use the toilet’ by a tree, and upon turning back, he saw Scarlett savagely stabbing Brianna.
Detectives subsequently discovered evidence in both suspects’ homes – including messages between the two discussing Brianna’s murder.
“Completely emotionless” killers on trial.
In the documentary, Brianna’s mother Esther disclosed that the duo displayed “no remorse” throughout the proceedings. The evidence presented was described as some of the most unsettling ever encountered by police and journalists in a courtroom.
Scarlett was later diagnosed with Antisocial personality disorder, while Eddie was found to have autism.
“Scarlett and Eddie’s demeanour in court was completely emotionless,” Wes observed. “They sat there playing with fidget toys and completing crossword puzzles, totally unaffected by the gruesome details.”
Brianna’s headteacher then revealed that Scarlett was smirking throughout, while Senior Investigating Officer DI Nigel Parr disclosed that Eddie had “become mute.”