RIP Baby Star Hobson

Nannee49

Absolutely agree with all who say a drastic overhaul is urgently needed. And surely there should be a change in the legal system regarding the penalties the vile perpetrators should face?
I'm not suggesting the return of capital punishment but maybe another, more severe tier to reflect the horror of their crimes?

I would gladly vote for capital punishment in a case like this, how could anyone be so wicked, using a child as punchbag. Hanging is too good, burn the witch!.

Do you think families such as these would attend Sure Start Centres, which are mentioned on here? Or would they just refuse any engagement with professionals? To cover up their crimes.

Doodledog. I agree the term lower classes wouldn’t have been used but that was the general gist and I was being called into the dentist’s surgery as I was typing that on my phone. However, it is true and very similar has been said on other threads only a week or so ago by members of this site.

Callistemon. I doubt Brockhill will need to worry too much in prison. Judging from the video of her hitting that punchbag in the gym, she’d be more than capable of defending herself. I just hope they treat her with the contempt she deserves.

Eliminate these monsters from society. Who'd miss them ?

I hope the beasts aren't segregated " for their own safety " ! Leave them to the inmates to sort out.

Where were the social services and what were they thinking when there were so many alerts? Life should be given to both the mother[ 8 years is a farce] and her partner. How many more poor vulnerable children have to suffer before something is done.

tickingbird

*Doodledog*. I agree the term lower classes wouldn’t have been used but that was the general gist and I was being called into the dentist’s surgery as I was typing that on my phone. However, it is true and very similar has been said on other threads only a week or so ago by members of this site.

I don't know about you, but I take much that is written on GN with a pinch of salt.

tickingbird

*Callistemon*. I doubt Brockhill will need to worry too much in prison. Judging from the video of her hitting that punchbag in the gym, she’d be more than capable of defending herself. I just hope they treat her with the contempt she deserves.

There are more ways of killing a cat than choking it with cream…….They will get to her….

To my mind, the mother should get as long a sentence as her partner.

The lecturer was unlikely to use the term 'lower classes' but was pointing out that assumptions must not be made based on income levels, standard of housing etc. There is an excellent book on this subject, written by Erin Pizzey and called "Scream quietly or the neighbours will hear". This was about general assumptions that domestic violence only happened in "certain types of homes".

Kali2 she's got to live through the next 8 years yet ! IF ?

Kali2

To my mind, the mother should get as long a sentence as her partner.

Might it be referred to the Atorney General as she could have got 14 years apparently

I’m assuming, but don’t know, that she only got 8 years because of her extremely low IQ. I was never in social work, or the police, nor am I a lawyer, and so I don’t know why a very low IQ would qualify her for a lower sentence, but possibly it would. Given that she’ll most likely only serve 4 years, I do feel this sentence is unduly lenient.
When I think of the number of people who would love to adopt a baby, I feel so saddened that baby Star wasn’t removed and put up for adoption. I have an adopted grandchild and that child is part of a loving, extended family. Baby Star deserved that too. As did Arthur. And all the other children who die at the hands of their parents or caregivers.

Poor little Stat.
Let down in her life, and after death.
8 years..

And I spelled her name wrong, too!

I think 8 years is far too lenient. As a mother she should have been protecting her child. I hope this sentence is sent to appeal. As another poster has already said she may well be out in 4 years.

Forsythia

Do you think families such as these would attend Sure Start Centres, which are mentioned on here? Or would they just refuse any engagement with professionals? To cover up their crimes.

Forsythia, thanks for the question which i’ll answer and expect others to have views to share, which may be very different than mine.

In many Sure Start areas, every new parent was invited by the health visitor to eg baby massage classes. Additionally, there would be cooking, parenting skill, dad’s groups etc, a universal service. Health visitors were well placed to identify parents who were struggling, maybe post natal depression, social isolation, relationship breakdown, learning difficulties or many other factors. The surestart family centres provided much needed support to families.
Social workers could refer families. Often, a nursery place could be made available that gave respite to parents as well as providing stimulation and the opportunity to observe an infant/
As part of a support package where safeguarding was a concern, a written agreement may be made. The sw team will provide x to support the parenting, the parents agree to Xy.

So cuts to services matter

I don’t doubt what you say and thank you for explaining it so well. However, would these individuals go to the centre? Would they agree to go? Or stay off the radar.

Rest in peace little Star.

There’s no one answer to the co-operation/working together question. Where an effective initial assessment takes place, a support package often provides much needed help. Most parents love their children and want to improve things.

With so called resistant, dishonest, manipulative and possibly dangerous carers, the package is to work towards necessary change.
Immediate risk of, or identified significant abuse can result in care proceedings, sometimes with a view to the child being placed with alternative carers. Family members would be the first to be considered.
It’s possible for people to ‘disappear’. It’s not unheard of, tho it’s rare, to discover a child has been known, or even in care to another authority but parents have taken off.

How long do you allow them to work towards necessary change and is it monitored? This little girl should have been removed swiftly in my opinion. Why weren’t the relatives listened to ?

The focus should always be in the child’s timescale.
I don’t know why the relatives weren’t listened to. I don’t understand how a medical exam failed to identify non accidental injuries. I don’t understand how a child so dazed she walks into a sofa and is limping and with this background of concerns isn’t taken for another medical.
The inquiry will investigate

Forsythia

How long do you allow them to work towards necessary change and is it monitored? This little girl should have been removed swiftly in my opinion. Why weren’t the relatives listened to ?

Because none of the support Iam64 talks about remains. What is left are social workers trying to manage unmanageable workloads, nurseries and schools where staff has been cut to the minimum, GPs with huge lists and some areas where they won't work. Everything else has gone. None of what was aimed for after the death of Victoria Climbie was ever acheived and the aims and provision were abandoned.
Isn't it better to have some chance of changing things, even if there will always be a few who will slip through the net, rather than just cutting things and leaving everyone to struggle?

tickingbird

*Callistemon*. I doubt Brockhill will need to worry too much in prison. Judging from the video of her hitting that punchbag in the gym, she’d be more than capable of defending herself. I just hope they treat her with the contempt she deserves.

The thought crossed my mind that she might become Queen Bee and rule the roost in prison, tickingbird but I sincerely hope that other prisoners will be appalled by her crimes.