A 34-year-old man has been charged with murdering 9-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel, who was shot in the chest at her home in Liverpool on Aug. 22.
Olivia was fatally shot after a shooter chased convicted drug dealer and burglar, 35-year-old Joseph Nee, into her home in Liverpool. The girl’s mother Cheryl Korbel was shot in the wrist, and Nee, the intended target, was shot in the upper body.
Merseyside Police said on Oct. 1 that Thomas Cashman, from Grenadier Drive, West Derby, has been charged with the murder of Olivia, the attempted murder of her mother and Nee, and two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.
A second man, Paul Russell, 40, from Snowberry Road, West Derby, has been charged with assisting an offender.
Both men will appear at Liverpool Magistrates Court on Oct. 3.
Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Kameen said: “Our work continues in earnest. At the beginning of the investigation we were firm in our commitment to finding all of those involved in this case, which includes the people who have tried to shield and protect individuals, and those who have supplied the weapon or are hiding the weapons used in this incident.
“We have had an overwhelming response and support from the public since the tragic murder of Olivia and I would ask for your continued support so we can keep the promise we made to Olivia’s family and the local community to ensure that those involved face justice.”
Olivia ‘Oozed Kindness’
There have been 11 arrests over Olivia’s death so far, with nine men previously detained as part of the wide-scale investigation, all of whom were later bailed.Earlier this month, Olivia’s funeral was held at St Margaret Mary’s Church in Knotty Ash.
Pink ties, jackets, scarves, and bows were worn by those attending the service after her family asked people to wear a “splash of pink.”
Classmates of Olivia have been sharing their memories of her and receiving counselling since returning to school after her death, her headteacher said.
Rebecca Wilkinson, headteacher of St Margaret Mary’s Catholic Junior School in Huyton, said the nine-year-old “oozed kindness” and would be remembered for her smile.
She said the children are “devastated at the loss of their friend,” but the counselling has “definitely helped.”
“We have been so proud of the resilience the children have shown since they’ve been back,” she said.
