The five spurned warnings

MAY 2019: Star Hobson is born.

NOVEMBER: Her mother Frankie Smith splits from Star’s father Jordan Hobson, a university student, and begins a relationship with Savannah Brockhill. JANUARY 2020: First social services referral from babysitter Hollie Jones. Police and social services visit the family. Case is closed a month later. FEBRUARY: Star goes to live with her great-grandmother Anita Smith for ten weeks and her health improves. APRIL: Smith takes Star with her and moves into a housing association flat in Keighley, West Yorkshire. MAY: Days after Star leaves, Anita Smith makes the second referral to social services. Smith and Brockhill are visited by social workers, who accept claims that the report was ‘malicious’ due to the family’s dislike of their same-sex relationship. JUNE: Smith’s elder sister sends photos of the injured infant to police. Around the same time Star’s father makes a third referral to social services over a photo showing bruising. Police and social services take the child to hospital to be checked up and accept that her injuries are accidental. Toward the end of the month Rachel Whiteley, a family friend, makes the fourth social services referral over concerns for the health of Star. SEPTEMBER: Frank Smith, Star’s great-grandfather, makes the fifth social services referral over a video showing bruising. Social workers visit Smith and Brockhill with the child. They accept the accidental explanation for bruising and close the file on September 15. Brockhill is caught on camera repeatedly hitting Star while inside a car at a recycling plant where she worked. Star is beaten to death on September 22, the day a social worker was due to meet Smith before the latter postponed the appointment.