ELSIE SCULLY-HICKS: TODDLER DIED DAYS AFTER FATAL ATTACK AS ADOPTIVE FATHER RECEIVED LIFE SENTENCE

The tragic death of 18-month-old Elsie Scully-Hicks shocked Wales after her adoptive father was convicted of murdering her just 13 days after her adoption was formally approved.

Matthew Scully-Hicks was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 18 years at Cardiff Crown Court on November 7, 2017. A jury had unanimously convicted him of murder following a four-week trial.

ELSIE’S SHORT LIFE

Elsie was born in November 2014 and was originally named Shayla O’Brien by her birth family.

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

On September 10, 2015, Elsie came to live with Matthew Scully-Hicks, his husband Craig and their other child.

Matthew became the stay-at-home parent while Craig continued working full-time.

The couple’s adoption of Elsie was formally approved on May 12, 2016.

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

WARNING SIGNS BEFORE HER DEATH

The trial heard that Elsie had suffered a series of injuries before the fatal incident.

These included bruising and a serious leg injury. Some of the injuries were explained at the time as accidents.

A later independent child-practice review found that professionals had missed opportunities to identify a pattern in Elsie’s injuries.

The review found that a fracture to her thighbone had not been identified when an earlier X-ray was examined. It also found that a large bruise on her forehead had not been properly recorded or shared between professionals.

The review concluded that there had been a lack of professional curiosity about Elsie’s injuries and experiences.

It did not find evidence that safeguarding concerns had been raised before the fatal attack.

THE FATAL ATTACK

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

Earlier that day, Scully-Hicks had taken her shopping for an outfit for a party celebrating her adoption.

Shortly before 6:19 p.m., he inflicted severe injuries on the toddler.

According to the sentencing remarks of Mrs Justice Nicola Davies, Scully-Hicks gripped Elsie around the chest with enough force to fracture three ribs and then shook her violently.

She also suffered a skull fracture caused by an impact with a hard surface.

Elsie collapsed and suffered a cardiac arrest.

Emergency services were called and she was taken to hospital, but doctors were unable to save her.

She died on May 29, 2016, four days after the attack.

MEDICAL EVIDENCE

The court heard that Elsie had suffered devastating injuries, including a skull fracture, three fractured ribs, severe brain injury and bleeding in her brain and eyes.

Twelve medical experts and six doctors who had treated Elsie gave evidence during the trial.

Scully-Hicks denied murdering the child and insisted he had never harmed her.

The jury rejected his account and unanimously found him guilty of murder.

TEXT MESSAGES REVEALED HIS FRUSTRATION

Prosecutors also presented messages Scully-Hicks had sent about Elsie.

In the messages, he 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.

She noted that people who regularly saw Scully-Hicks generally viewed him as a loving and caring father, but said the difficult periods appeared to occur when he was alone with Elsie or with her and the other child.

JUDGE DESCRIBES ‘GROSS ABUSE OF TRUST’

When sentencing Scully-Hicks, Mrs Justice Nicola Davies described Elsie as a “young, vulnerable and defenceless child.”

The judge said he had been entrusted with the responsibility of protecting and caring for his adopted daughter, but had instead deliberately inflicted serious injuries upon her.

She described his actions as a “gross abuse” of the trust placed in him as Elsie’s adoptive father.

Scully-Hicks was given a life sentence and ordered to serve a minimum of 18 years in prison before becoming eligible for consideration for release. The judge also said he had shown no remorse.

ELSIE’S BIRTH FAMILY ‘NUMB WITH PAIN’

Elsie’s birth family was devastated by her death.

Her birth grandmother, Sian O’Brien, said the family had remained deeply attached to Elsie and loved her unconditionally.

The family had previously sought to become involved in her care, and Sian had begun proceedings in an attempt to become her legal guardian.

After Elsie’s death, the family said they were left with profound grief and questioned the decisions that had separated them from the little girl.

The family’s victim-impact statement described them as “numb with pain” following her death.

REVIEW FOUND MISSED OPPORTUNITIES

Following the murder conviction, an independent review examined the circumstances surrounding Elsie’s care before her death.

The review concluded that several opportunities to identify and respond to her injuries had been missed.

It found that no single agency or professional had held the complete picture of Elsie’s medical history and that information about her injuries had not been adequately brought together.

The review made a series of recommendations aimed at improving safeguarding procedures for children who suffer injuries while in care or during the adoption process.

Elsie’s death ultimately became both a murder case and a wider examination of how professionals had responded to warning signs in the months before she died.

For her birth family, however, the central tragedy remained the loss of a little girl whose life ended at just 18 months old.