Star Hobson was killed in September 2020. The court heard that Star Hobson had suffered major blood loss when the main vein carrying blood from the legs and abdomen back to the heart was torn.
A mother on trial for murdering her 16-month-old daughter with her girlfriend described her as ‘evil’ in a text after the child put lipstick on her face and filmed the toddler having accidents, with injuries and falling asleep in her food, a court heard today.
Star Hobson, a toddler, died after suffering ‘catastrophic” injuries to her abdomen from heavy punches or kicks. This could only have happened because of her mum Frankie Smith (age 20) or Savannah Brockhill, a pub bouncer, who both deny the murder.
A jury was shown a series horrifying videos that were recorded by the defendants on their phones over the weeks and months leading to the death Star on September 22, 2020 in Keighley, West Yorkshire.
Bradford Crown Court was shown an audio recording of an argument among the defendants in that Smith tells Brockhill, ‘I’ll shoot you. I’ll kill you if you give me time.
The jury heard that Google searches had been conducted, including: “How long can your body survive without sleep?”‘, What causes swelling and bruising to decrease?’, Bending fingers back’. ‘How can I dry drown?’ “How long can you stay in the cold?”
Both defendants captured Star falling asleep on a green stool, and on several occasions she nearly fell onto the floor.
The toddler eventually falls to the ground and pulls the chair onto her. Neither woman went to comfort Star, instead Brockhill, 28, edited the ‘slow mo’ footage, putting dramatic music behind it and sent it to a friend with the message ‘f**ked it’ followed by three crying with laughter emojis.
Other videos viewed by the jury showed Star with a badly bruised and swollen right cheek, marks to her forehead and ear and also footage of Star crawling up the communal flight of stairs to Smith’s flat in Keighley.
Brockhill filmed the toddler’s painful climb. It is clear that the toddler was protecting her right shin. Brockhill did nothing to comfort Star, who was in pain at points. Star is then greeted by her mum who, rather that giving Star a cuddle and comfort, forces her to walk.
Another video shows Star, exhausted, eating her food and trying to not fall asleep. Her head finally falls into the bowl. They don’t comfort her; they just keep filming.
Savannah Brockhill (her partner) and Frankie Smith (20), tried to blame another child, a court heard.
Star also found Smith’s lipstick and tried it on.
Brockhill was texted by Smith: ‘Look, how awful.’ Brockhill replied, ‘Put she in the corner.
Brockhill and Smith, both of Keighley, deny murder and also causing or allowing Star’s death. The trial continues.
Star suffered a split in the liver, a tear at the fatty attachments of her bowel, and bruising to her lower lungs and pancreas earlier this week.
Alistair MacDonald QC, the prosecution, said that the injuries were the result of a severe and forceful blow (or blows) ‘either punching, stamping, or kicking to abdomen’.
The court heard that Smith and Brockhill waited for Star to be injured before calling 911.
The court heard that Smith was 19 when Star came to be born in May 2019, and that Star’s relationship with her father ended when Star was six months old.
Brockhill, 28 and Smith, 20 both deny murdering Star.
The jury was shown video footage showing Star being abused in her home. Mr MacDonald stated that it showed Star’s psychological and cruelty in the weeks and months prior to her death.
One clip shows Frankie Smith roughhanding an upset Star and making a sustained effort to make her stand in one corner.
Brockhill also used a’slamchoke” on Star, which involved Star being pulled off her feet and held by her neck before being thrown onto a bed.
Opening the prosecution case, Mr MacDonald stated that paramedics were called at a flat to find ‘the body and condition of an apparently dead, pale, and diaper-wearing baby’.
He stated that the little girl was taken by Airedale General Hospital, but that Star’s injuries were so severe that there was no real chance of saving her.
The prosecutor stated that internet searches for’shock in babies’ or ‘how to bring baby out of shock’ at the flat showed that there was a 15-minute gap between the time Star sustained her injuries and the time Star called 999.
According to Mr MacDonald, Smith and Brockhill were both the only adults in the apartment at the time. However, two other young children were also present.
He stated that it was impossible for any carer to wait 15 minutes before calling for professional help for their 16-month-old child who was suffering from severe medical problems. Any caring person would have called the doctor within seconds and not 15 minutes.
Star’s injuries, according to Star’s prosecutor, were ‘utterly tragic’ and unable to be sustained.
The jury was told by Mr MacDonald that it would be absurd for the prosecution to suggest that the injuries were caused in part by another young child.
‘As you’ll hear, the pathologist will tell you that the force used caused the injuries in such a way that it is impossible for doctors to imagine that it could be inflicted by a child.
He explained how Star’s body was examined and revealed evidence of injuries that meant Star had suffered ‘a number of significant injuries at various times’.
According to the prosecution, the injuries that caused her death included extensive damage to her abdomen, which was caused by a severe and powerful blow or blows (e.g. punching, stamping, or kicking to the abdomen).
Mr MacDonald stated that Star also suffered two fractures to his right leg, which were caused by forceful twisting. These were refractured as the wound healed.
He also described a fracture at the back of Star’s skull and bruising to Star. Star is deemed to be ‘non-accidental’.
The prosecutor stated that Star’s case was known to social services. Star’s family and many relatives were also kept away from Star.
Jurors were told by Mr MacDonald that they will hear from several Smith relatives and friends who will discuss concerns about bruises they saw on Star, which they, in some cases, also filmed.
He showed Star video footage from her flat, which showed that she was shouted at to face a wall and stand while she sobbed.
The prosecutor said, “You may wonder what that little boy did to deserve such cruel treatment.”
After another video clip was shown to the jury, a prosecutor stated: “No hint of love for that child.”
He stated to the jury that he felt strong and powerful emotions in those situations.
The court heard that Smith was 19 when Star was birthed in May 2019, and that Star’s relationship with her father ended when Star was six months old.
He said that Smith and Brockhill began a relationship shortly after this. Brockhill was working in door security at Smith’s pubs.
Mr MacDonald said that one witness remembered an incident where the toddler accidentally bit her while she was helping her eat her food in a car with defendants.
According to the prosecutor, Brockhill asked Smith about it and Star began to cry. Frankie Smith then bit Star’s finger.