Murdered Ellie Butler’s family hopes for public inquiry into death
LAWYERS representing the family of murdered sixyear-old Ellie Butler today said they were “hopeful” there will be a public inquiry into her death.
They said an inquiry should focus on the family court, which returned Ellie to her parents in 2012 after she had been taken away from them as her father, Ben Butler, was convicted of shaking her as a baby.
Ellie was battered to death at home by Butler in Sutton in October the next year.
Aysen Soyer of Wilson Solicitors spoke out after an inquest at South London Coroner’s Court this week ruled Ellie was unlawfully killed. It found agencies involved in her care could not be said to have “possibly or probably” contributed to her death. It did not examine the family court ruling.
Ms Soyer, representing Ellie’s grandfather Neal Gray, said: “He knows the independent social work agency, local authority children’s services and Cafcass (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service) let Ellie down, yet there are seemingly no repercussions. We are hopeful there will be a public inquiry.”
“The family court declined to provide an independent management report to the Serious Case Review, so we have no way of knowing lessons have been learned.”
Butler was convicted of murder in June 2016 and jailed for life.