Elsie Scully-Hicks: Dad To Be Sentenced For Baby's Murder

[mikey4444]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-41892994

I am not sure if this has been brought up on AB before.

I hope that a full enquiry is started, to find out how this horrible man was allowed to adopt this poor little girl. Cases like this make my blood run cold.....what a wicked, wicked man.

[Barsel]

Social services visited a gay father who murdered his adopted 18-month-old daughter 15 times but still raised no concerns - despite finding out she had broken her leg and had 'fallen down the stairs'.

Badly worded, I take it they mean they visited 15 times.

[Tilly2]

'but the authorities should be taken to task, as to why they ignored all the evidence that was available'


'well we are not party to the whole picture are we but pound to a penny If I had his files there'd be something.'

Either we know or we don't.

You are lambasting social services for missing 'all the evidence' but you don't actually know what 'all the evidence is.

[ummmm]

Reading Melv's post visiting the family 15 times prior to adoption is nothing unusual.

[anotheoldgit]

Why hasn't there been any mention of his 'husband' in all this?

I know this is not going to be popular amongst the modern liberal thinkers, but I don't think two males should be allowed to adopt, 'married' or not.

I hope that he will be well 'looked after' by the many abusive husbands that are now in our jails.

[anotheoldgit]

/// A child practice review is now expected to take place which will investigate the role of agencies in the case and look at whether lessons can be learned to prevent future tragedies. ///

Now where have I heard all this before?

[jno]

Tilly, I presume the evidence is of the injuries caused to her after the adoption but before the death. I don't know of any evidence about him before the adoption itself.

[NellieMay]

From the BBC website.

The couple had already adopted one child and decided to go through the process for a second time.

[Metaphysicalus]

I too was absolutely appalled when I heard it on the news last evening. The poor little innocent baby was not only murdered by that evil cretin, but she had been severely beaten continuously ( broken leg, bruising etc) for months before that devil murdered her. How could his partner not have known what was happening to the child? I would not mourn for him if some of his prison inmates give him the justice that he deserves. Rest in peace Little Elsie.

[sp1814]

AOG

Some more information.

Matthew Scully-Hicks is married to Craig Scully-Hicks, who is a company director whose job frequently saw him out of the house overnight on business trips. These were when Matthew injured their daughter Elsie.

After the adoption of Elsie, they were seen twice a week by social workers.

Each time she was hurt, Craig Scully-Hicks was at work and Matthew had a simple explanation. Or as the prosecution put it, he made up "a story of ordinary domestic accidents to explain something [he] had done".

A month after arriving, Elsie's leg was injured. That was blamed on a fall in the kitchen. A doctor found one fracture but missed another. If the second fracture had been spotted doctors would have raised concerns about child protection, the court heard.

Two months later she had a bruise on her forehead, which Matthew Scully-Hicks said resulted from her banging her head on a play kitchen.
Health visitor Ms Golten saw the bruise on a home visit and questioned Matthew Scully-Hicks about it.

[ummmm]

AOG trying to take the subject off topic again!!

This has nothing to do with them being gay!

[sp1814]

AOG

There's no need to put the word husband in quotes. They're married, not in a civil partnership.

[jno]

Now where have I heard all this before?

maybe in cases where heterosexual couples abused children

[mikey4444]

Usual red herring, from the usual subject I notice !

Can I just get one things straight.....I have been out shopping since earlier this morning, so can some of the people that doubt my ability to answer questions immediately, please bear that in mind.

There was clearly problems with this chap, long before the child was murdered.

the BBC link that I provided above says

"A review should find how a man slipped through a "comprehensive" adoption process and murdered his 18-month-old daughter two weeks after formally adopting her, a child protection expert has said"

Evidence was given by various people during his trial, that if it had been heeded, someone should have stepped in before the child was put in mortal danger.

The following link clearly explained the catalogue of injuries that the poor child had inflicted.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-41830166

[dave50]

Was social services too obsessed with placing the child with a gay couple so they could tick some diversity box that they couldn't see the wood for the trees? Just a thought.

[mikey4444]

Dave....we don't know. It doesn't seem very likely to me. but it will all come out in the Enquiry I am sure.

[Mamyalynne]

A chilling story, poor sweet child - Ummmm's right, abusers are very good liars.

Struggling to cope is very common, all parents know that feeling, you have to reach out for help.

Too late for Elsie.

[ummmm]

Where would anyone think SS was obsessed with placing a child with a gay couple?

Everyone has to go through the same process.

[anotheoldgit]

ummmm
/// Everyone has to go through the same process. ///

You are really naive if you believe that.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3909928/Couple-wanted-adopt-foster-children-straight-youngsters-need-mummy-daddy-BANNED-doing-so.html

[sp1814]

AOG

The couple in your link wanted to adopt the children they were fostering simply to prevent a same sex couple from adopting them.

They submitted the application after they were informed that a suitable permanent home had been found for the children. They were not acting in the best interests of the children. They were making an ideological stand.

ummm is correct in saying that everyone has to go through the same process.

[Mamyalynne]

Thread now open on the sentencing.

https://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/News/Question1578773.html#answer-11214116