Savanna Brockhill & Frankie Smith #13

[catlady29]

God how calm is SB on that 999 call?!?!?!

 

[Blonde_moment]

Heartbroken. I’ve followed the case throughout and been horrified, but seeing the photos and now that video has just broken me. That poor little girl She was just an innocent baby and I can’t bear to see her little face battered and bruised. Even though I knew from the trial what had happened, actually seeing it just makes it so much more real.

I feel conflicted with regards to FS. Whilst I know she was a victim of domestic abuse and had a very low IQ, I just can’t understand how she turned a blind eye to such visible abuse to her child. I was in a toxic and abusive relationship with a narcissist when my son was born. Without going into detail, something bad happened one night and the police were called. They came to the house and my son (not quite 2 years old) had woken up with the noise and was crying. I made a decision there and then to leave. Seeing my son upset like that was too much and I had a strong instinct to protect him. No matter how scared I was to walk away and go it alone and leave the "pull" of that relationship, I did it because I knew I had to for my child. I just can't get my head around why that instinct didn't kick in for Frankie. The instinct to protect your child is so strong.

 

[elikayute]

There’s a difference between calm in a crisis and whatever the hell she’s doing on that call.

 

[Hereforagoodtime85]

Today, can we at least not let this thread turn into an “I told you so” thread, or descend into arguments and name calling?

 

[aliyah_ess]

Well said.

I am going to stick my head above the parapit here - I still have a lot of sympathy for FS. I do not believe she is evil, I do not believe she ever could have thought something so horrific would happen. I believe she felt as I once did, as I have said before - "this is my life, this is how it is, this is how I have to exist". I would not have dared question my abuser if he had told me not to do something - even if that thing was to take a child to hospital. I cannot stress this enough - YOU ARE NOT A RATIONAL, FUNCTIONING HUMAN BEING WHEN YOU ARE IN THE CLUTCH OF AN ABUSER.

She SAW that bruise. How could she not believe something so horrific could happen? She saw it with her own 2 eyes. Her abuser was gone for over a week. She could have gone and protected herself and star then. SHE invited her back. SHE offered up her daughter once again to have unsupervised contact that weekend but star died before that.

She’s far far from innocent. She KNEW and she ALLOWED it to happen.

 

[lookwhatthecatdraggedin1]

Latched onto another person with a young child

 

[rainbowtapirs]

View attachment 923522

Pretty sure she was a female door supervisor, actually.

 

[Pavement1979]

I have to hold my hands up and admit I was wrong from what I gleaned from the transcripts. I got it wrong. I feel awful about it. Thank god for professionals in the justice system (lawyers, judges, court clerks), the police who gather thorough and robust evidence and the justice systems we have.

 

[Cocoloco818]

Not sure why so many people are suddenly arriving to say they’re surprised or disgusted with FS getting sympathy from some people here since the verdict. We’ve all been following the transcripts, the verdicts don’t change the evidence we’ve all read.

 

[LittleMy]

I reckon Frankies mum will be there for her.

Hopefully, for once in her bloody life.

 

[lookwhatthecatdraggedin1]

I think the image of Star's bruised face has changed their minds now.

If i seen my sons face like that, I would be straight to the hospital. The difference is, I’m not of low iq, I’m not in a domestic violence relationship, I’m not being controlled, I’m not vulnerable and besotted by a older woman who’s clever and is amazing with children (in her own words) who is telling her what caused the bruises knowing she’ll believe her and think she’s fine, I’m not being kept from people who care about me that can see what’s happening is wrong and can step in.

 

[Kinney]

I work in HR and her attitude on the call reminded me of when I have to speak to someone who’s fucked up in the immediate aftermath of an incident.
“Right so what happened was, I was talking to Johnny, nice bloke, worked with him for years, and we were talking about football because Leeds won at the weekend, great match. And we were just talking about the football, and we were talking there by the new vending machine, great new vending machine by the way, it’s got Yorkies in it now, great chocolate that. So we were talking and then this guy walks by and I must have accidentally shouldered him and he fell, I don’t know”.

 

[Cocoloco818]

I’ve been very vocal about my sympathy for FS and how I can completely believe she didn’t know, but seeing the pictures of the bruises I’m struggling to stick with that same view. The first pic of Star asleep looks very much like a palm print, but I did think if I saw my daughter with a bruise like that (just trying to imagine it makes me anxious) I don’t think I’d think someone had hit her, because why would they? But then seeing the video as well, I know toddlers are clumsy and get bruises but I’m really struggling now having seen them how someone could see bruises that bad more than once and still not be suspicious, I’m not sure her having a low IQ justifies it anymore.

 

[LittleMy]

I’m also grateful to Kath Goddard for giving Savanna a thorough defence so that she can’t appeal the verdict or sentence.

She did her best with what she had to work with, our Cough.

 

[Clairer86]

I dont want to see any of the cctv footage, or Star with bruises. But i am interested in seeing the mugshots of both SB and FS.

I really hope she gets a hard time in prison and isnt able to bully or abuse anyone else.

 

[lookwhatthecatdraggedin1]

I was one of those people nearer the end of all the evidence who felt like FS should be acquitted of her charges. I didn’t think she should walk away completely free and thought a charge of child cruelty and neglect would be more appropriate. However, since seeing the bruises I am not at all surprised or against her being found guilty of allowing. I never thought her a murderer though! So I would have been frustrated had that been their verdict. I completely respect the jury’s decision.

However, I still think it.is important to understand the hows and whys, of why FS came to the choices she did. I still don’t believe she was fully capable of stepping up and saving her child regardless, she failed massively but the main guilt does and always will lay with Brockhill. You could also argue stars extended family and community didn’t do enough, it’s all very well calling SS. But why not the police? Why did they down play their worries (not David and Anita), but others. They stated their was no domestic abuse or worries in the relationship. Hindsight is obviously a beautiful thing and everyone will feel guilt in all this, non of them will feel they did enough. I’m sorry but if one of my nieces had bruises to that extent I’d walk into my sister’s houses and take them and deal with the consequences later. Equally, Jordan at any point he could have rocked up and taken Star, he is on the birth certificate he has just as much parental rights. But he didn’t, he made a quick phone call and left it at that. I’d say he failed Star just as much as Frankie he makes my blood boil !

This is what I don’t understand, where the fuck was Jordan! He was her dad, he had a care of duty. He could of easily went and took that baby away, he’s on the birth certificate he has parental rights. He should feel just as guilty for seeing bruises and not doing a thing and not bothering with his daughter but playing the doting dad on facebook and robbing money in her memory

 

[elikayute]

I still believe FS didn’t know. Even after looking at that picture. But bloody hell she can’t have been in her right mind. The majority of my anger is directed to Brockhill for manipulating her and social services for not doing their bloody job and protecting vulnerable people, FS but especially poor little Star. Heartbreaking.

 

[PinkMariner]

No lol within the traveller community we call those people wideos and wannabes she has no gypsy blood in her neither does her family i except there’s good and bad in everyone and when it comes to children doesn’t matter what race you are should never hert a innercent child so whoever does I belive needs hanging but that girl is a wanna traveler


Yes I have seen all of the ubove but she’s a wannabe she’s no traveler

I cunt make head nor tail of that.

 

[StrawberrySeed]

I am very pleased with the verdicts today. It was what I was hoping for. I just hope the sentencing is tough enough to reflect the horrific nature of the crime. I predict that SB will get 30 years and FS 8-10. Fully deserved too.

I am glad that FS has been found guilty for causing / allowing. I just knew the photos and videos would be horrendous. I also had a feeling that many people would lose a lot of sympathy for FS when they saw them with their own eyes. I had not seen them myself until today in the news articles. They are far worse than I even imagined. I genuinely feel like the stuffing has been knocked out of me. It is hard to stop thinking about the whole situation and hold back tears. I have a huge lump in my throat. That poor, poor little girl. I don’t know how David and Anita keep going, I really don’t. I just can’t get over it.

Like others, I was expecting to feel relief today after all this time reading and waiting. It doesn’t feel like relief at all. I feel even worse now. Just seeing it all over the papers and online. It’s like we knew and now everyone else does. It is such a strange feeling. A feeling of shock and also deep, deep. anger. Anger at all those people and agencies that failed that little girl. Most of my anger is for SB and for FS for allowing it to happen, and not just once.

I haven’t even been on FB. Think I’ll stay off there tonight. I’ll end up even angrier.

To all of you on here. I feel so much sorrow for David and Anita

 

[August]

What Anita said about not wanting another baby P is so sad. They must have been so worried for her. Jury made the right decision about FS imo.