Star Hobson: Babysitter of murdered toddler says her warnings were ignored

Star Hobson’s former babysitter has claimed that her warnings over the child’s safety were not taken seriously by social services.

Hollie Jones, 18, said she had flagged concerns over the youngster’s welfare with Bradford City Council but they insisted “everything looks fine” after visiting the family home.

Star, who was just 16 months old, endured months of assaults and psychological harm before suffering fatal injuries in her home in Keighley, West Yorkshire in September last year.

Bouncer and security guard Savannah Brockhill, 28, was on Tuesday found guilty of murdering the youngster. Star’s mother and Brockhill’s former partner, Frankie Smith, 20, was cleared of murder at Bradford Crown Court, but was convicted of causing or allowing the toddler’s death.

Ms Jones, who had looked after Star when she was 6 months old, said she had lodged an anonymous tip-off with the council in January 2020 over concerns for the little girl.

She told the BBC that council officials had called the couple to notify them of the visit about an hour before they attended.

Ms Jones, who was present when council officials visited the address, said Smith then spent the next hour “cleaning Star, covering up bruises and things like that”.

“Frankie made me hold Star so that the social worker couldn’t really see much of what she was like,” she said.

“They just said that they visited and they have no concern, that she’s safe with her mother... there’s nothing more that they can do and everything looks fine.”

Ms Jones said that social services “needs to change” in the wake of the tragedy.

She added: “I think more things need to be put in place... because parents that are abusing their children know how to cover it up.”

After the verdict, Ms Jones said Star was a “happy baby” who “always liked playing hide and seek or tig”.

“She always loved cuddles, so I think that’s one thing that kind of breaks me a bit because that’s been taken away from me,” she added.

The verdicts came in the wake of the widespread outcry over the murder of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, and the case was described by Prime Minister Boris Johnson as “shocking and heartbreaking”.

Mr Johnson said: “We must protect children from these barbaric crimes and ensure lessons are learned.”

The Evening Standard has approached the council for comment. They declined to comment to the BBC ahead of a Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review.