A woman who murdered her partner’s 16-month-old daughter has been jailed for a minimum of 25 years.
Savannah Brockhill caused “catastrophic” injuries to Star Hobson, whose mother Frankie Smith was sentenced to eight years for causing or allowing the toddler’s death.
Judge Mrs Justice Lambert said Star’s “short life was marked by neglect, cruelty and injury”.
Family members spoke of their “devastating loss” prior to sentencing.
Sentencing Brockhill, Mrs Justice Lambert said she had “shown no remorse” for Star’s killing, which she had denied.
The judge told Smith she had played “a significant role” in her child’s death and said: “This is something you have to live with for the rest of your life.”
She told the pair they had “both behaved in a cruel and callous way” towards the toddler.
During the Bradford Crown Court hearing, Star’s paternal grandfather Bernard Hobson read an emotional victim impact statement describing the effect of the murder on her family.
He paused numerous times as he told the court their lives had been “forever blighted” by the loss of their “beautiful baby girl”.
The judge also paid tribute to Smith’s friend Hollie Jones, who was the first person to raise concerns to social services and had “tried to protect Star”.
She further thanked members of Star’s family for the care they provided during her short life.
Source: bbc.co.uk
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