Lucy McHugh: what we know about 13-year-old’s murder

A 13-year-old, whose body was found in woodland in Southampton, was stabbed to death, police have confirmed.

Lucy McHugh was last seen leaving her home in Mansel Road East on Wednesday morning. She was reported missing later that day before her body was found by a member of the public near Southampton Sports Centre early on Thursday morning.

A 24-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of her murder and sexual activity with a child, reports the BBC.

Hampshire Police detectives confirmed the 13-year-old was stabbed but said they were not in a position to say whether the weapon used was “a knife, scissors or other bladed implement”.

Officers are now searching the area for the sharp object that was used in the attack. They are urging anyone who has found anything nearby or saw anything on Wednesday in the area to come forward.

“We know how shocked the community is and understand that emotions are running high,” Detective Superintendent Paul Barton said.

“However we ask people not to speculate on social media – it is unhelpful to the investigation and to Lucy’s family. Please allow us to do our job and find out what happened to Lucy.”

Police have since issued images of the kind of clothes the teenager was last seen wearing.

They include: “a distinctive black jacket with white sleeves and branding for the band Falling In Reverse on the front and the words ‘RADKE 01’ emblazoned on the back in red”, reports Sky News.

The girl’s mother, Stacey White, called for calm in a Facebook post after revealing family members of the man arrested in connection with the killing had received “violent threats”, says The Independent.

“Please can I ask that people are not passing blame onto family members of the person that has been arrested in connection with my precious daughter Lucy’s murder,” White wrote.

“Making threats of violence to them will not bring my angel back.”