Mum's anger at groomed daughter's death after she was wrongly charged with terrorism

A 16-year-old girl from Derbyshire, Rhianan Rudd, was wrongly charged with terrorism offences in 2020 before her death in May 2022, according to a new documentary by Channel 4 titled The Schoolgirl Terrorist?. Her mother, Emily Carter, claims the authorities failed to treat her daughter as a victim of grooming rather than a potential threat. Rhianan, who was autistic, had been manipulated by an American white supremacist named Christopher Cook, who was later jailed in the United States for plotting attacks on power grids. The case has sparked controversy over the UK’s counter-terrorism measures and the treatment of vulnerable individuals. Rhianan was initially reported to the government’s anti-terrorism scheme, known as Prevent, by her mother after she expressed concerns about her daughter’s growing fascination with far-right ideologies. According to Emily Carter, Rhianan had downloaded a bomb-making manual and had begun drawing swastikas and images of Adolf Hitler in her notebooks. However, the evidence suggested that Rhianan was being groomed and exploited by Cook, who had contacted her online while she was 14 years old. Cook, who was based in Ohio, allegedly sent Rhianan explicit messages and sexual content, which were shared with British authorities months prior to her arrest. Despite this information, Rhianan was charged with terrorism-related offenses in August 2020, becoming the youngest girl in the UK to face such charges. The case attracted widespread media attention, portraying her as a dangerous extremist. However, the charges were eventually dropped in December 2021 after Rhianan admitted she had been coerced and groomed by Cook. The coroner’s court in Chesterfield later heard that Cook had been in contact with Rhianan through online gaming groups during the pandemic lockdowns in 2020. Emily Carter described the emotional toll of watching her daughter spiral into extremism. She recounted how Rhianan had once come to her crying after downloading a bomb-making guide, seeking comfort like a young child. Despite her efforts to steer Rhianan away from harmful ideologies, the mother felt ignored by authorities who continued to treat her as a suspect rather than a victim. “They knew Rhianon was being sexually exploited but they kept on treating her like a terror suspect,” she said. Rhianan’s descent into radicalization began with an interest in My Little Pony, a popular franchise among children, before shifting to German history and eventually contacting extremists on platforms like Telegram and Discord. Friends of Rhianan noted her sudden obsession with Nazi symbols and her belief that the Holocaust was fabricated. One friend recalled how Rhianan would refer to Adolf Hitler using a playful tone, comparing him to a pet. Another friend said he tried to warn Rhianan about speaking to adults online, but their friendship deteriorated as she became increasingly isolated. The documentary highlights the broader implications of the case, including the rise in referrals to the Prevent program. Referrals increased by 39% in a year, reaching a record high of 10,293 in the 12 months ending September 2025, with half of them involving individuals under 18. Emily Carter criticized the system for failing to recognize the signs of grooming and exploitation, arguing that her warnings were dismissed. She also mentioned that Rhianan had been planning an apprenticeship as a jockey and was working on costume designs for charity projects before her death. Rhianan was found hanged at a children’s home in Nottinghamshire in May 2022, less than five months after her charges were dropped. Her family and friends continue to seek answers about why she was treated as a threat instead of a victim. They believe that the failure to properly assess her vulnerability contributed to her tragic end. As the documentary airs, questions remain about how similar cases might be handled in the future, particularly regarding the balance between counter-terrorism efforts and protecting vulnerable individuals from exploitation.