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Mother of ‘murdered’ nine-year-old girl leaves heartbreaking tribute saying she will be ‘eternally connected’ to her daughter as father is charged with her killing
The mother of a nine-year-old girl who died on an industrial estate in Scotland while camping with her family has paid tribute to her daughter, saying she will be "eternally connected" to her, after the girl's father was charged with murder. Minnie Merriman, from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, was found with serious injuries by emergency crews at the Elliot Industrial Estate in Arbroath early on Monday morning and later died in hospital.
Paramedics took Minnie and three other people to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, where she succumbed to her injuries. Her father, Christopher Rice, 35, appeared on petition at Forfar Sheriff Court in Angus on Wednesday in connection with her death.
In short
- Nine-year-old Minnie Merriman died after being found injured in Arbroath
- Her father, Christopher Rice, 35, has been charged with her murder
- Her mother paid an emotional tribute, calling their bond "eternal"
Explained simply
In Scotland, a person charged with a serious crime may first appear in court on petition, a procedure used while the case is investigated and before any trial. A charge is an allegation, and the accused is presumed innocent unless found guilty.
Minnie Merriman was nine and came from Wakefield, in West Yorkshire. She was found seriously injured at the Elliot Industrial Estate in Arbroath, Angus, while camping with family; Arbroath is a town on Scotland’s east coast.
The case involves her death and the criminal justice process that follows. It matters to her family and to the local community, while the court process will establish what happened and whether the charge is proved.