STAR IN THE SKY
Star Hobson’s family warned authorities she’d be another Baby P & said: ‘She’s going to finish up a star in the sky’
TRAGIC Star Hobson's family warned social workers she would be "another Baby P" and feared: "Little Star's going to finish up a star in the sky."
The 16-month-old girl was abused in her final months before being stomped to death by her mum's partner Savannah Brockhill, 28.
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Her mum Frankie Smith, 20, helped her lover carry out the torturous campaign of cruelty before Star was murdered by Brockhill in September last year.
She was convicted today of causing or allowing the death of a child, while Brockhill was found guilty of murder.
Shockingly, there were a number of missed opportunities by the authorities to save Star.
She had been placed back into Smith's care months before her death after living with her great-gran Anita Smith and her partner David Fawcett.
Soon after, her worried family reported their fears she was being abused to social services but it was never followed up.
David said: "When Anita made her complaint, she actually said, 'look, we don't want another Baby P on our hands here, do we?'.
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"The lady on the phone from social services said, 'how do you mean?', and we were shocked at her reaction.
"Well, Baby P died through abuse, and we're making a complaint.
"My first reaction would have been, 'yeah, right, we're on the ball, we'll sort this one out, we don't want another Baby P. Especially with them being the social services.
"It just came across as being a bit shambolic, really, Absolutely shambolic."
David revealed how his blood would "run cold" whenever he saw Brockhill arrive in her car, which they branded Christine after the possessed vehicle.
He also believes the family wouldn't be in the heartbreaking "position" they are in if Smith hadn't met bouncer Brockhill.
The postie said: "I used to say to Anita 'Christine's outside Frankie's house again' and Anita used to say 'you do realise little Star's going to finish up a star in the sky, she's got the right name'.
"She always said that, and people used to tell her 'Anita, please don't say that'. And that was said from May up to September. Just horrendous."
'PURE EVIL'
Desperate for someone to take notice, David posted two pictures on Facebook - one showing Star with bruises and one without.
He captioned it: "From this to this in five weeks. What's happening Frankie?"
But the mum just blocked him and several members of the family from seeing Star.
They were not even allowed to attend her funeral.
Speaking outside court today, David said: "I'm just pleased we got a murder conviction for Savannah Brockhill.
"To me she was just pure evil."
He said: "We were just a quiet, lovely family and she ascended from the bowels of hell and just completely devastated and wrecked our family."
Little Star had been a "happy baby" while living with her great-gran Anita and David.
She had moved in with her loved ones as Smith, whose IQ places her at the bottom two per cent of the population for intelligence, was unable to look after her.
HORRIFIC INJURIES
The court was told how "very immature" Smith was helped by her family when Star was born as she often "struggled" and was "lazy and neglectful".
During a harrowing trial, jurors were told Star died in hospital from blood loss after her inferior vena cava - the largest vein in the body - was torn.
Medics said her injuries were usually only seen in car crash victims and had been caused by either "punches, kicks or stamps".
Doctors also discovered a number of "significant injuries" the baby had suffered "at different times during her short life".
This included two fractures to the right shin bone "caused by forceful twisting", a fractured skull and an old brain injury.
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In total she had 15 separate injuries to her head and ten bruises to her legs, ankles, feet and toes.
The couple will be sentenced tomorrow.
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Chilling 999 audio of shameless mum & lover blaming two-year-old boy for Star Hobson’s murder after tot stomped to death