23 Years On: Remembering Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman
Overview
Today marks 23 years since the tragic murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, the two 10-year-old girls whose lives were cruelly taken in Soham, Cambridgeshire, on 4 August 2002.
The case, known as the Soham murders, remains one of the most heartbreaking child murder cases in British history. Holly Marie Wells and Jessica Amiee Chapman had been enjoying a summer day when they were lured into the home of Ian Huntley, a local school caretaker. Both girls were murdered, and their bodies were found 13 days later in an irrigation ditch near RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk.
Their disappearance and the subsequent nationwide search gripped the country. The devastating news of their deaths left a lasting scar on the community of Soham and the nation as a whole.
“Never Forgotten”
Today, tributes continue to pour in as people remember Holly and Jessica — two best friends, full of life, laughter, and promise.
“RIP Angels. 23 years on, and your beautiful smiles are still remembered by the nation. You will never be forgotten.”
Families, friends, and the wider public continue to honour their memory with messages of love and remembrance. The tragedy brought about significant changes in how school staff are vetted, leading to stricter safeguarding measures known as the “Bichard Inquiry Recommendations.”
A Lasting Legacy of Change
The Soham murders were a catalyst for sweeping reforms in child protection policies, including the introduction of enhanced background checks for individuals working with children — a legacy that, although born from tragedy, has helped protect countless others in the years since.
As we reflect today, our thoughts are with the Wells and Chapman families, who have shown immeasurable strength and dignity through unimaginable pain.
