This case was heartbreaking.
For anyone not familiar: Ellie Butler was a little girl who was physically abused in the care of her biological parents, requiring hospitalisation even as a baby.
Her maternal grandparents gained custody and by all reports Ellie thrived in their care.
Unfortunately, “Dad” was a superficially attractive and articulate chap who conned social workers and pivotally, Justice Hogg into believing he was a doting, wronged father. He was on morning TV.
Ellie begged her grandparents to keep her (as they dearly wished to). She was terrified of her parents and begged to speak to the judge. Judge refused.
Grandparents bankrupted themselves trying legally to keep custody, but failed.
Ellie was retuned to her biological parents and ‘Dad’ killed her.
Usually these tragic cases seem to involve a child who was raised in an abusive home and never removed.
But in this one, Ellie was in a safe, loving home (with her grandparents) but removed to an abusive one.
An awful failure by the legal system.