Two teenagers accused of stabbing a 16-year-old girl to death in the middle of a quiet street have been pictured for the first time.
Chloe Watson was attacked after a party in Austhorpe, Leeds, at 5.55am on Saturday before being rushed to hospital where she was sadly pronounced dead.
Kayla Smith, 18, has been charged with her murder, along with Archie Rycroft, 19, and a 17-year-old boy who cannot legally be named. The trio appeared at Leeds Magistrates’ Court today charged with Chloe’s murder.
Smith and Rycroft were remanded into custody to appear in court on Thursday, while the 17-year-old defendant was remanded into secure accommodation. All three self-define their ethnicities as White British, West Yorkshire Police said.
Chloe Watson, 16, was stabbed to death over the weekend (
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A further man, who is 18 and from Leeds, has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody.
An 18-year-old woman and a 17-year-old boy who were arrested on suspicion of murder have been released on bail pending further enquiries.
Archie Rycroft
A resident claims his neighbour had desperately tried to save Chloe’s life by performing CPR after discovering her wounded on the quiet street on Saturday morning.
Wayne Mallows, 64, said he received a knock at his door just before 6am when he learned his neighbour had been trying to perform CPR on the 16-year-old. “I was called out of the house about 5.50am on Saturday morning by a dog walker,” he said. “She said that my neighbour was outside doing CPR on a young girl.
Kayla Smith, 18, has been charged with murder (
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“I asked if they’d rung an ambulance and then I realised that a phone was on the ground and he had it on loud speaker. Ambulance control were giving him instructions,” he added.
It comes as Chloe’s devastated family paid tribute to the 16-year-old, describing her as “stunning, confident, loyal and honest.”
The message read: “My beautiful princess Chloe. I cannot put into words how I feel that you are not here with me. You are my life, my world, my best friend and I know that I am yours. I cannot live without you – I need you.
Kayla Smith (
Tiktok)
“You are stunning, confident, loyal, honest and my family-oriented princess. When you walk into any room it lights up with your bubbly personality. There is so much I could say. There’s a big hole in my heart that can never be filled.”
The family added: “Your two sisters and big brother will always love and miss you to infinity. You will always and forever be in our hearts. Love Mum, Connor, Courtney and Cienna.”
Chloe’s father’s family spoke of their “immeasurable” heartache after learning of the teenager’s death.
“We miss every single thing about her. She was beautiful, full of joy, and had a wonderfully cheeky personality,” they said. “She embraced life with such happiness, and she had her whole future ahead of her.
“Chloe was loved by everyone who knew her, and the absence she leaves behind is immeasurable. We will miss her forever, she will never be forgotten.”
