Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
News
Original poster

Elsie Scully-Hicks

485 replies

Elephantgrey · 06/11/2017 19:38

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.

OP posts:
KatherinaMinola · 07/11/2017 15:44

Horrific. I wonder what will happen to the other child now? Instinct says remove her/him to another family, because the other parent doesn't seem fit to parent either. Awful for that child whatever happens.

SS do have a lot of questions to answer.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 07/11/2017 15:49

Sorry Zap
. I wasn't having a pop at you. I was having a pop at our '
oh so caring and attentive social services'

KatherinaMinola · 07/11/2017 16:02

Agree that SS and HCPs will most likely have been blinded by the couple's being middle class. Ironically the poor baby would have been better off with her birth family.

I know it's not a popular view but I think there needs to be more rigour around men adopting children, given what we know about male violence.

UnbornMortificado · 07/11/2017 16:05

Poor bairn. RIP.

It must be hard for SS. They can't win they are either leaving children where they shouldn't or taking children away from loving family's unjustly.

Fekko · 07/11/2017 16:07

Life/18 years...

UnbornMortificado · 07/11/2017 16:21

Does anyone know this?

Is it any sentence over a certain length (possibly 10 years) not halves? So he will have to do the full 18 or will it be 9?

chocdog · 07/11/2017 16:22

I know it's not a popular view but I think there needs to be more rigour around men adopting children, given what we know about male violence. I agree.

stitchglitched · 07/11/2017 16:26

I also agree Katherina.

Fekko · 07/11/2017 16:30

I've known women (and their partners) who have gone through the hell of infertility and miscarriage. I can't think of any people more 'deserving' of an adoption - and who have truly suffered to try to be a parent. I can't imagine the pain of anyone in that position reading this story - of someone who thought that they really really really wanted a child.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 07/11/2017 16:36

Judge's sentencing remarks here - very detailed. What a dreadfully grim case this has been. Poor little mite.

toffeepumpkins · 07/11/2017 16:40

There needs to be more rigour around people with children who might be struggling. I am biased though as a former relative of mine killed their toddler and served a ridiculously short sentence and is now posting pictures of themselves on social media looking very happy.

Viviennemary · 07/11/2017 16:55

They just sound unsuitable as adoptive parents. Toddlers can be really hard work and very annoying and attention seeking. I blame the social workers for not picking up the problems and why not just say this isn't working instead of letting it end in this total tragedy. One of them away most of the time and the other giving up work to be an SAHP.

Raisedbyguineapigs · 07/11/2017 16:56

Presumably there are many gay men who have adopted successfully and are bringing up happy children. There are also many children killed by birth fathers or step fathers who also had mothers, who sat around and watched while their lovers beat their children or covered for them and defended them because they would rather keep a man than protect their own children. Those children weren't protected from violence because they were being brought up with a mother in their lives.

LuckyBitches · 07/11/2017 16:58

Well said, Raisedbyguineapigs

clairethewitch70 · 07/11/2017 17:06

Unborn minimum of 18 years before parole is considered. 141 days spent under tagged curfew deducted. If released after 18 years rest of life under Licence.

The birth maternal grandmother has said Elsie was born Shayla O'Brien. The birth family had access to Elsie right up until the adoption was finalised. The birth GM applied to foster Elsie but it was denied by SW.

TheFirstMrsDV · 07/11/2017 17:30

I am an adopter.
I adopted from a London borough known as being 'Loony Left'
There were about 6 couples/single adopters in my prep group
4 of the couples were gay.

They went through the same assessment as everyone else
Same conditions
Same hoops to jump through
Same references required
Same as me and everyone else regardless of class, sexuality or ethnicity.

What I would say is that if you know what to say and how to say it you can get through the process IF you meet the practical criteria (housing, finances etc)
But you cannot expect SW to be able to spot a sociopath determined to adopt children.
The couple may have genuinely presented brilliantly.
I obviously don't know enough about this case to be sure but I doubt SS could be blamed in this case.

The person to be blamed is the bastard who killed that dear little girl and his crime had nothing to do with his sexuality.

No doubt this case will be held up by the anti adoption and anti gay factions who just love a high profile child death to hang their agenda on.

Meanwhile a child is dead and an already traumatised family further bereaved.

TheFirstMrsDV · 07/11/2017 17:34

one more thing.
I expect things have moved on in the last ten years but when I was adopting gay couples were welcomed because it was known that they were the most likely to take 'hard to place children'
Knowing they wouldn't be considered for healthy, white, babies, they entered the process prepared to adopt disabled, sick children and sibling groups.

mydogisthebest · 07/11/2017 17:34

18 years is pathetic, no where near long enough.

I find it very hard to believe the husband had no idea that something was wrong. All those injuries and those horrible text message? He should be feeling guilty/

Don't get me started on SS either. I used to think they did a good job and I am sure lots of them do but there are some awful ones. A friend of mine has been dealing with SS over the way her grandchildren have been treated and it's disgusting. They wouldn't let her adopt or foster them for the most stupid reason but they have been to foster family after foster family, some of them treating the children appallingly

UnbornMortificado · 07/11/2017 17:44

Thank you Claire. That's something at least.

UnbornMortificado · 07/11/2017 17:46

Sorry I meant I do think it should be life but it's better then 9 which is what I first thought.

TheFirstMrsDV · 07/11/2017 17:57

I notice from the Judge's remarks that they changed her name.

The name is not so identifying that it need to be changed. I guess it just didn't fit in with their image.

RIP Shayla.

flapjackfairy · 07/11/2017 18:11

I think shayla is a v unusual name that would definitely need changing to preserve the family's anonimity !

TheFirstMrsDV · 07/11/2017 18:19

I strongly disagree with you.
I also strongly suspect that isn't the reason they changed it.

sinceyouask · 07/11/2017 18:26

Fat, what do you think a sw should do when a child's injuries are accepted by medical professionals as having occurred in the way the parent says, and no concerns that they were the result of abuse have been raised?

User843022 · 07/11/2017 18:29

'Also the way he described the poor little girl should have raised concerns with his husband. Could he be done for negligence?'
Yes I'm surprised by the support of his husband. We've all sent the odd text like 'the DC are being a right pita today' perhaps, but those constant vicious descriptions of the poor victim should surely have raised the alarm.
Awful, tragic case.