By Woman found guilty of murdering partners 16-month-old daughter
Savannah Brockhill has been found guilty of murdering her partner’s 16-month-old daughter after months of mistreatment.
Miss Brockhill caused “catastrophic” injuries to Star Hobson, whose mother Frankie Smith was convicted of causing or allowing her death.
Bradford Crown Court heard Star suffered a string of physical abuses in the weeks before the fatal assault.
During a seven-week trial, jurors heard the infant had suffered a number of injuries at different times.
Star was 16 months old when she died in September 2020 after suffering serious injuries caused by a “severe blow or blows” to her abdomen.
Prosecutor Alistair McDonald told the jury Star had suffered a variety of injuries including fractures to her shin, ribs and skull as well as lacerations to a vein carrying blood between her leg and organs which leaked into her abdominal cavity.
Mr McDonald also described a 15-minute period in which the couple made Google searches in relation to a child being in shock before finally making the call to emergency services.
A vein from her leg and organs had been lacerated or torn which led to bleeding into her abdominal cavity. That laceration of the vein had caused 300ml of blood to leak into her abdomen.
Smith, 20, and Brockhill, 28 will be sentenced at 2 pm on Wednesday 15 December.
Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Swift, of the Homicide and Major Enquiry team, who led the investigation, said: “This was one of the most distressing and heart-breaking cases our team has seen. Star was a young baby who had her whole life ahead of her and she tragically died at the hands of those who were meant to protect and care for her.
“Star, who was just 16-months-old, suffered catastrophic injuries and tragically she was not able to survive despite medical intervention at hospital.
“The trial has lasted for several weeks now and it has been harrowing for Star’s family to hear in detail the extent of the behaviour by these two women and the injuries to Star.
“I welcome the verdicts from the jury for both Smith and Brockhill, their actions were absolutely barbaric against a defenceless young baby, whose life was cruelly cut short.”
