How to explain to sensitive 8year old girl about Ashling Murphy?

[Playhousearmy]

We live in Ireland but so far she doesn’t really know about it. However tomorrow there’s going to be a minutes silence in schools at 11am. I’d like to explain to her first, rather than leaving it to the school, but I don’t know how. How do you explain a young woman being murdered in the middle of the day??
She understands death - my father died when she was young and more recently my Aunt died.
But how do I explain this?

Have the school said anything about it to the kids already? It's probably best to keep it vague but honest.

Is it in all schools?

As far as I’m aware the school hasn’t said anything.

The minutes silence is in all schools I think. It’s the teachers union who have requested it.

There was an interview with an expert on this exact topic on Today FM this morning - how to explain the case to children. It was on Dermot and Dave's show AFAIK. I didn't hear enough of it to be able to help you directly, but it might be worth a listen back, OP. You can play it back if you go to the Today FM website.

I’m actually not sure how they’re going to explain this to the kids. I haven’t mentioned anything to the kids - I generally don’t think they need to know about the murders and bad things that happen in the world. I presume they’ll approach it sensitively in the school.

I think keep it brief and see it through her eyes, not yours (eg time of day is irrelevant, and an 8 year old probably doesn't think 23 years old is 'young').

A woman was out walking [I know she was actually running] and was attacked and died. The minute's silence is a way to show respect to the woman who died.

Not sure I'd mention that Aisling was a teacher as your daughter might associate it with happening to teachers and therefore be worried about her own teachers. Or you could explain that Aisling was a teacher and that's why schools want to show her respect with the minute's silence.

Our school has just sent a message to say they will not be observing the minutes silence, as the very young children would struggle to comprehend. Very impressed with the school, I think that’s the right call.