A father insists his daughter’s tragic death was an accident during playful antics, sparking a court case over the heartbreaking incident.
Darlington: A dad is in court after his daughter died. He says it was an accident. They were just playing around when he threw something at her.
Scarlett Vickers, just 14, suffered a terrible injury. The knife went deep into her chest. Simon Vickers, her dad, feels like the “unluckiest man in the world.” This happened at their home on July 5, 2024.
Prosecutors argue he must have stabbed her on purpose. But he insists they were just having fun. They were throwing grapes at each other before things went wrong.
In court, he explained how it all happened. He thought he threw kitchen tongs, not a knife. He said they were just horse-playing in the kitchen while Scarlett’s mom cooked dinner.
He was shocked and couldn’t believe it. He said, “I can’t believe how this has happened.” He also mentioned he had been drinking and smoking cannabis earlier that day.
Vickers claimed they had a happy family life and were looking forward to a holiday soon. But the prosecution says the stab wound was too deep for it to be an accident.
A pathologist said it was nearly impossible for a thrown knife to cause such a serious injury. Vickers said he didn’t even know he had thrown a knife until it was too late.
He described the panic when they realized Scarlett was hurt. He tried to call for help but struggled with the phone. His partner called 999 instead.
He was frantic, shouting for Scarlett as her condition worsened. He denied telling paramedics that he had stabbed her. He said, “There’s no way I would stab my child.” He feels devastated.
Witnesses said he seemed very drunk when police arrived. His partner told the operator they were just messing around when the accident happened.
The prosecution argues that the knife must have been held firmly to cause such a deep wound. The defense claims it was a tragic accident, and Vickers never meant to hurt his daughter.
Vickers is expected to testify soon. The trial is ongoing, and everyone is waiting to hear more.
