Star Hobson murder trial: Mom accused of taking toddler's life by stomping her to death

Frankie Smith, 20, and Savannah Brockhill, 28, are accused of causing a string of distressing injuries to toddler Star Hobson, which ultimately took her life, in Keighley, West Yorkshire on 22 September 2020.

Star's mother Smith and her partner, Brockhill, are charged with causing or allowing her death and murder. Today was the second day of the trial, which took place at the Bradford Town Court.

Day 2 of trial: Accused pin death on a 2-year-old

In the court trial, Smith and Brockhill, pinned Star’s death on a two-year-old toddler. The court found every bit of it ‘absurd.’ Medics said that the ‘degree of force’ inflicted on Star was ‘so great’ it was ‘quite impossible for the doctors to envisage it could have been inflicted by a child.’

Star’s main vein, carrying blood back to the heart from the legs and other organs, was ruptured by alleged stomping. The report further said she had severe blood loss and bruising was extended all over her body, from a split to the liver, a tear to the bowel, to ruptured lungs and pancreas.

During the trial, harrowing videos of Star being yelled at to face the wall and stand were shown as evidence. Another clip showed the baby upset after Smith rattled her. The most grave offence was Brockhill ‘chokeslamming' the tiny toddler—she held Star by the neck and picked her off her feet, throwing her on the bed.

The Bradford Town Court stated regarding the blows that it was 'either in the form of punching, stamping or kicking to the abdomen.'

Prosecutor Alistair MacDonald QC adds:

The reality is that the injuries suffered by Star were so catastrophic that there never was any real chance of saving her life.

It is the prosecution case that she was killed by the intentional infliction of injury and that the person or persons who inflicted these injuries intended, at the very least, to cause really serious harm to a helpless young child and that, in those circumstances, they are guilty of murder.

The tragic story of Star

Before her death, Star had suffered previous injuries, such as two old shin fractures, a skull damage and brain injury.

The 16-month-old’s wounds revealed that the kinds of blow inflicted was no accidental death.

The couple’s search history read: ‘shock in babies’ and ‘how to bring a baby out of shock’ and phoned 999 in the last 15 minutes of Star’s life.

When the paramedics arrived at the scene last year 22 September, they found a tiny lifeless body. The jury was informed that she was in cardiac arrest. While trying to resuscitate the toddler, she regurgitated ‘large amounts’ of brown material.

She was airlifted, but sadly couldn't be saved in time.

MacDonald adds:

It is also the case that Social Services, who were aware of Star’s case, were kept away from Star.

Smith and Brockhill deny charges of murder. The trial continues.