A DAD has denied stabbing to death his teenage daughter at their home.
Scarlett Vickers, 14, was found dead with a single stab wound to the chest at an address in Darlington, County Durham, last month.
Her parents Simon Vickers, 48, and Sarah Hall, 44, appeared at Teesside Crown Court today charged with her murder.
Vickers pleaded not guilty to murder and manslaughter and now faces trial on October 2.
He has been remanded in custody.
Ms Hall, meanwhile, was cleared following the hearing after prosecutors discontinued the case against the case her.
Judge Francis Laird told her she could leave the courtroom or stay and watch proceedings.
An earlier hearing at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court was told there had been an “incident” that resulted in the “fatal stabbing of their 14-year-old daughter”.
Emergency services rushed to a property in Geneva Road, Darlington, on July 5.
Scarlett was pronounced dead at the scene.
It tragically came just hours after she had posed for the camera in a heartbreaking final video posted on her TikTok.
She shared the video from her bedroom with the caption: “Ignore the mess pls.”
Schoolgirl Scarlett had also shared a series of selfies on June 29 – just days before the tragedy.
Flowers and messages paying tribute were left outside a police cordon surrounding the property in the days after her death.
Su Gill, the Principal of Haughton Academy where Scarlett was a pupil, said: “Scarlett was a lovely girl with a great sense of humour. She was always immaculately turned out, respectful and polite.
“A very friendly girl, she was popular with her friends and will be greatly missed by the school community.
“The staff and students at Haughton Academy and the Education Village Academy Trust are extremely saddened by the news and would like to pass on our thoughts to everyone affected by this tragedy.
“The Trust is working hard to support pupils and staff through this very difficult time.”
A neighbour added: “Scarlett was full of life and she was always out with her friends like a normal 14-year-old girl.”
