Social services face legal action over girl’s murder

The birth family of Elsie Scully-hicks, the toddler who was murdered by her adoptive father, are considering taking legal action against social services for failing to spot warning signs.

Eighteen-month-old Elsie, was killed just two weeks after Matthew Scully-hicks, 31, of Cardiff, finalised his adoption of her in May last year.

But in the months leading up to her death, she sustained a number of injuries, which her family claim should have been spotted by social workers, who visited her 15 times.

Sian O’brien, 51, her grandmother, has accused social services of failing the little girl.