Elsie Scully-Hicks

[Elephantgrey]

How can you understand how someone can harm such a tiny baby. My husband knew Matthew Scully-Hicks and said you would never imagine he would be the sort of person to do something like this. When we first heard about it we imagined that he had just snapped but seeing the news report he inflicted so many injuries on her since the day she arrived. It's just heartbreaking.

Did you mean to put names in @TheFirstMrsDV?

The children are named on the podcasts notteally

Ah ok, I’ve not heard them so just wanted to ask in case it was a mistake.

They are not their real names

Crazy. So those kids have been fostered/adopted and their siblings has been murdered. Something very wrong here. Didn't anybody ask what strategies he had in place for dealing with an unsettled child? Why did nobody notice.

The elder child has lived in a dangerous home whilst the investigation was carried out?

It would appear that way, yes

Sorry MrsDV I just wondered, I’ve accidentally mentioned names on here before

We have no way of knowing that?

If someone was being investigated in relation to the death of a child would their sibling be left to live in the same house? I doubt it.

I can't get past the husband either.
How did he repeatedly ignore the bruises and hospital trips?

I would lose my life if my DH text me to say that he'd left our baby to cry in a cot.

There is very little information about the sibling, mostly just what the judge says.

Almost no information about Mathew Scully Hicks also. No pictures in the press either.

Yeah. One hospital visit I would be upset. But when it's getting to 5 or 6 I would be bloody hysterical, grab the child and leave.

No probs not

Thanks! I’m starting to think I shouldn’t post today, it’s a day of brain farts

I'm hoping that there isn't much out about the sibling in order to protect a vulnerable child, and by extension the media are respecting a near black out on details / pictures of the other father.

I cant believe someone would be so callous and cruel to a 7 month old baby its heartbreaking

I think a lot has been made of the texts but I've messaged similar jokingly to DH.

Before all this came out in the press I was joking on about cleaning his nasal tubes out and it being like something off the exorcist.

(DS was much wanted and very ill. I spent 10 weeks by his side in neonatal and I haven't been away from him more then half an hour since his discharge. He's oxygen dependant and it is hard going)

Since this has been in the news it's made me realise how even joking could be misread and I've stopped. But I can't be the only (loving none abusive) stay at home parent to joke about children being hard work sometimes.

Yes but if you did it over and over again and the child was constantly unsettled and had numerous injuries....

Thanks, @MrsDeV, I'm working through them now. The grandparents' position is heartbreaking. I'd like to think that in that situation I'd somehow find a way of taking all four children, but I can easily see there could be very pressing reasons why they couldn't.

Friends of my parents adopted an entire sibling group. I think there were three or four children at first and then SS came back with the news that the birth mother was pregnant again and the baby would be removed at birth, were the adoptive parents interested in taking the baby too? Yes was the answer. They've done an amazing job as far as I know. I take my hat off to all of those working with these poor kids who have such a rocky start in life.

random I do think the texts coupled with the injuries should of had alarm bells ringing. If the husband had, had suspicions and hadn't acted on them wouldn't he of been charged with something?

I would think he has been under a great deal of scrutiny by Police and SS.

If I overheard a neighbour shouting at their toddler and calling her a silly little cunt I would definitely call SS. As far as I can judge, that kind of language belies a hateful attitude - beyond frustration.

Exactly yoda. As I say very very sadly we may not intervene with older kids but it was a baby.

Re wondering why the husband didn't say anything about the bruises - well some kids bruise a lot and easily. Its not necessarily a cause for concern. my Ds went through a period where he often had one two or sometimes even three bruises on his face! He cruising and learning to walk and would just like axe and hit whatever head first. The bruises were small and faded within a couple of days - but there was always a bruise! Even now at 15 months (walking since 11) he just trips over his feet and headbutt the floor. He's got a bruise on the top of his forehead at the minute for reaching too far over the seat of a picnic bench when out and just going straight over the other side and face planting in the gravel!
So, toddlers get bruises - it's normal! I'm not sure your average parent could judge how much bruising is too much very easily. My oldest and youngest are very fair and bruise very easily. And clumsy! While my middle child doesn't bruise hardly ever even of she does get a bump. Its unfair to blame him for that I think.

It’s just an upsetting awful tragedy whatever the details. A poor little innocent life has been destroyed by a man who had all the power and all the control... except the ability to control himself enough not to torture and murder.

We don’t really know enough to make a fair decision about the other father. Maybe he was negligent and missed vital chances to save his daughters life because he prioritised his partners whims and desires above a human life. Or maybe there are reasons he missed it, and he will be going through hell with that realisation.