ELSIE SCULLY-HICKS CASE: ADOPTED TODDLER DIED DAYS AFTER FATAL ATTACK AS FATHER WAS SENTENCED TO LIFE

The death of 18-month-old Elsie Scully-Hicks shocked Wales after her adoptive father, Matthew Scully-Hicks, was convicted of murdering her just weeks after she had officially become part of his family.

Scully-Hicks was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 18 years at Cardiff Crown Court on November 7, 2017, after a jury unanimously found him guilty of murder.

ELSIE’S SHORT LIFE

Elsie had originally been known as Shayla O’Brien and was born in November 2014.

She was removed from her birth mother’s care shortly after birth and subsequently lived with a foster family.

In May 2015, a decision was made for Elsie to be placed for adoption.

Matthew Scully-Hicks and his husband, Craig, formally adopted her on May 12, 2016.

Just 13 days later, Elsie suffered the injuries that would ultimately claim her life.

A HISTORY OF EARLIER INJURIES

During the trial and subsequent family-court proceedings, evidence emerged that Elsie had suffered a number of injuries while in Scully-Hicks’ care.

The court heard about earlier incidents involving injuries to her head and leg.

A family-court judgment later found that Elsie had experienced two previous episodes of shaking before the fatal incident, including one in which she suffered fractures to her leg.

In another incident in March 2016, Scully-Hicks called emergency services after Elsie suffered a serious head injury.

He said she had fallen down the stairs, but that explanation was later rejected in the family-court proceedings.

THE FATAL INCIDENT

On May 25, 2016, Elsie was at the family’s home in Llandaff, Cardiff.

Scully-Hicks told the criminal trial that he had changed Elsie for bed and left her in the lounge while he went into the kitchen.

When he returned several minutes later, he said she was unresponsive.

Emergency services were called and paramedics found the toddler unconscious and not breathing.

Elsie was taken to hospital, where she remained critically ill.

She died in the early hours of May 29, 2016, four days after suffering the fatal injuries.

MEDICAL EVIDENCE

The trial heard extensive medical evidence about Elsie’s injuries.

A postmortem examination identified multiple broken ribs, a fractured femur and a fractured skull, along with evidence of bleeding in her brain and haemorrhaging around her eyes.

Medical experts told the court that the injuries were consistent with violent shaking and significant force.

Scully-Hicks denied causing the injuries and maintained that he was not responsible for Elsie’s death.

The jury rejected his account and unanimously convicted him of murder after a four-week trial.

TEXT MESSAGES BECAME PART OF THE EVIDENCE

Prosecutors also presented text messages in which Scully-Hicks had used highly derogatory descriptions of Elsie.

Messages referred to the toddler as “a psycho,” “the exorcist” and “Satan dressed up in a Babygro.”

The judge said the messages demonstrated his frustration with Elsie’s crying and behaviour and formed part of the evidence about his attitude toward the child.

LIFE SENTENCE

On November 7, 2017, Mrs Justice Nicola Davies sentenced Scully-Hicks to life imprisonment, ordering him to serve at least 18 years before he could be considered for release.

The judge described Elsie as a young, vulnerable and defenceless child and said Scully-Hicks had abused the trust placed in him as her adoptive father.

She also said he had shown no remorse for the killing.

Elsie’s birth family later described the loss as devastating.

Her birth grandmother said the family remained deeply attached to Elsie and had loved her unconditionally. The family said they were left with profound pain following her death.

The case also prompted an independent review examining whether social workers and healthcare professionals had missed opportunities to intervene and protect Elsie before her death.

Elsie’s story remains a tragic account of a young child whose life ended only days after she had formally been adopted into a family — and whose death led to a murder conviction and a life sentence for the man responsible for her care.