Savannah Brockhill

Star Hobson was born in May 2019, the first few moths were filled with a loving extended family who spoiled the little girl, but things didn't last.

21st May 2019, Star Hobson is born to Jordan Hobson and Frankie Smith, Frasnkie is one month off her 18th birthday.

September 2019 On a family holiday to Bridlington, Smith repeatedly leaves Star with a friend so that she can go out drinking.

November 2019, Frankie Smith breaks up with Jordan Hobson, Star’s dad. She gets together with Savannah Brockhill. Brockhill was a bouncer at the Sun pub in Keighley, West Yorkshire, as well as working at a recycling centre.

Although it appears the abuse of Star had been going on a while, it was when Brockhill and Smith’s relationship began, that things got worse for the toddler. Brockhill and Smith had a turbulent, violence, controlling and obsessive relationship.
A strict new regime on when Star could eat and sleep was enforced, mainly by Brockhill. Punishments for any wrongdoing saw her forced to stand facing the wall for up to 30-minutes at a time, all for a child barely a year old at the time.

February 2020, Smith broke down, she could not cope anymore. She rang her grandmother Anita Smith and asked her to take Star on. Ms Smith, and her partner David Fawcett, said when they took Star she was depressed, withdrawn, “she’d lost her sparkle”. She’d been neglected by her mother for so long.

With the right love, care and attention it took just days for the real Star to appear; a happy, bubbly baby who loved music and loved to dance. Anita and David adored Star. Smith would visit a couple of times a week.

April 2020, with no warning, Smith visited Anita and David and took Star back.

May 2020, A social services referral was made in May made by Anita, concerned about treatment of Star, nothing came of this referral.  Brockhill and Smith banned her family from seeing Star anymore.

June 2020, another referral to social services, this time by Star’s father Jordan Hobson, whose access to Star had dwindled when he and Frankie Smith split up. Access stopped entirely when Savannah Brockhill arrived on the scene. 

Police checked Star over, took her to the local hospital for a check-up, but Smith explained away her bruises and the doctor and police were satisfied with the excuses.

20th July 2020, Star went to work with Savannah Brockhill at the recycling centre. Within an hour of leaving Smith’s flat Star had a huge bruise on her cheek, allegedly caused by slaps.  

Frantic Google searches by Brockhill on how to get rid of bruising, a phone call secretly recorded by Brockhill in which she gaslights a drunk Smith into blind fury in attempts to keep Star away from her.

August 2020, Star is dumped with babysitter Holly Jones so that Frankie Smith can go out drinking. There were huge bruises on Star’s face and ear that “looked like handmarks”. does When handing Star over, Smith simply says, Not “hello”, not “have fun Star”. Just “she fell down the stairs that’s why she’s got bruises”. Babysitter Holly is not satisfied, she  made a video and sent it to family members. Nothing is done for Star.

12th September 2020,, Brockhill again has Star alone at the recycling plant. Smith had gone out drinking. Arguments between Smith and Brockhill get heated, Smith tells her they’re relationship is finished. Brockhill is angry, her anger taken out on baby Star.#

Brockhill conducts a sustained series of attacks over more than two hours, slaps, gripping by the neck, punches, and more punches. Savannah Brockhill then made a Google search, “can you die from being winded”.

20th September 2020, CCTV footage shows Smith dragging Star through Bradford city centre on her reins, with Star’s head dropping to one side.

22nd September 2020, Brockhill comes to visit at Frankie Smiths flat. While Smith is out of the room she hears a loud thud, she rushed into the room to find Brockhill trying to revive Star. Another Google search is made "how to bring a baby back to life", after eleven minutes the 999 call was made, but it was too late.

Brockhill made up numerous excuses, all of which Frankie Smith believed.,

 6-month-old Star Hobson died from a cardiac arrest. She was found, lifeless and pale by the paramedics, at Smith's flat in Keighley, West Yorkshire, and pronounced dead in hospital.

A post-mortem examination would find evidence of catastrophic injuries. Their likely cause: punching, kicking or stamping on the toddles abdomen. The main vein was ripped open meaning half the blood in her body had leaked into her abdomen, a horrific and painful way to die.  Star also had a major skull fracture to the back of her head, her tibia had a spiral fracture down its entire length which had recently been refractured, and broken ribs which also had recently been refractured. Her face, head and body were covered in bruises, she also had pre-existing internal injuries to her organs, injuries in her mouth, and likely had suffered a severe concussion less than 10 days earlier.

The pair are arrested and both charged with murder.

Frankie Smith had been controlled by Brockhill for so long she went along with the story Brockhill had made up.

Not until a year on did she finally admit the truth.

November 2021, At Bradford Crown Court Frankie Smith and Savannah Brockhill denied murder and causing or allowing the death of a child. 

Tuesday 14th December 2021, Savannah Brockhill is found guilty of murder, 

Frankie Smith, aged-20, was acquitted of murdering her daughter, but found guilty of causing or allowing Star’s death.

Wednesday 15th December 2021, Sentencing Brockhill, to life behind bars, with a minimum term of 25-years, Mrs Justice Lambert said she had "shown no remorse," for Star's killing, which she had denied.

Judge Mrs Justice Lambert said Star's "short life was marked by neglect, cruelty and injury".

The judge told Frankie Smith she had played "a significant role" in her child's death and said: "This is something you have to live with for the rest of your life". Smith was sentenced to eight years for causing or allowing the toddler's death.

Thursday 16th December 2021, The Attorney General has been asked to review the sentences of the two women jailed over the death of 16-month-old Star Hobson.