Grieving mum of Southport victim sobs 'I'd swap with Elsie any day' leaving GMB viewers in tears
Good Morning Britain viewers were left heartbroken as the mother of Southport victim Elsie Dot Stancombe confessed she'd "swap with Elsie any day".
The parents of seven-year-old Elsie and six-year-old Bebe King appeared on Monday's (February 10) show for their first TV interview since their daughters' tragic deaths in July 2024.
Elsie, Bebe, and nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar were killed by Axel Rudakubana during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport in 2024.
Elsie's parents, Jenni and David, emotionally reflected on the horrific events of last year, with Jenni expressing her wish that they had been present.
"We just dropped her off to dance and make bracelets, that's all we did. It was something nice for her to do for a couple of hours in the first week of the school holidays," she said through tears.
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"There's lots gone over, and said, 'Oh, we should never have sent her, ' but she wanted to go so much. And I think we've spoken about it a lot, and we've said, 'She was in the right place and where she wanted to be'," reports Manchester Evening News.
David added: "Elsie and all the kids there had every right to be there and every right to feel safe."
"But if we had been there, it wouldn't have happened," Jenni then shared. "I might not be here, but I'd never of let that happen."
A tearful Susanna noted: "You'd fight to the death for your children, wouldn't you? " to which Jenni emotionally replied: "Yeah, 100 percent. God, I'd swap with Elsie any day."
The show's viewers quickly took to X (formerly Twitter) to share their sadness, with one writing: "In tears listening to the parents of those poor poor girls. Very hard to watch, absolutely heartbreaking! Just hearing little things like it was hard not getting to put their child to bed again broke me. You naturally think of your own kids." (sic)
"I'm so upset, I hope them girl's parents know how much we care #gmb I can't get over it, imagine their heartbreak - it is impossible!" another added, while a third said: "Very sad hearing the parents of the girls talking on #gmb."
A fourth fan echoed the sentiment: "Beloved Elsie's parents are just broken. They must keep talking and reflecting. She is watching over them and is with them spiritually forever."
Meanwhile, another viewer shared their admiration for the parents' strength to speak out: "I honestly don't know how they did that, but I totally understand why they did it."
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV1 and ITVX at 6am
