How Could You? Hall of Shame-UK-Skyla Giller case-Child Death UPDATED

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From UK, “a baby has died from head injuries while in foster care.

Skyla Giller was allegedly dropped by her foster mother and taken to hospital in an unresponsive state. The ten-month-old had emergency brain surgery before doctors decided there was no hope.

Her natural mother, Sarah Giller, was brought to hospital to give consent for her life support machine to be switched off. ‘I thought my baby would be safe in foster care,’ said the 30-year-old mother of four.

‘They are the sort of people who should be able to look after her. They failed my daughter and social services put my daughter in danger.’ Miss Giller allowed the foster parents – a married couple in their 30s or 40s – to witness Skyla’s final moments.

‘I wanted them to see what they had done,’ she said. ‘I was laid beside Skyla, stroking her head and holding her hand. It was only a matter of minutes before she died.’

She claimed that at one point in the hospital room the foster mother said to her partner: ‘I’m sorry I didn’t mean to do this.’

Miss Giller added: ‘I was absolutely devastated and all I could do was hold my daughter and keep things as peaceful as possible for Skyla’s sake.’

She claimed that at one point in the hospital room the foster mother said to her partner: ‘I’m sorry I didn’t mean to do this.’

Miss Giller added: ‘I was absolutely devastated and all I could do was hold my daughter and keep things as peaceful as possible for Skyla’s sake.’

She has been given no further information about what happened by police or social workers.

Miss Giller released moving photos of Skyla in hospital because she feared the authorities would cover up the tragedy. Her daughter was born eight weeks prematurely in Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, last October, weighing 3lb 4oz.

She remained in hospital for two weeks but was said to have been healthy.

Miss Giller contested a social services application to take her into care but a judge ruled against her. ‘Our relationship was really close and I saw her every day of the week,’ she said.

‘I was given false hope by social workers who indicated she would be able to come home at some point.’ Miss Giller, who has had a troubled personal history but who is hoping to start a part-time university course to become a social worker, was stopped from seeing Skyla last April.

Ten days ago paramedics were called to a village near Huddersfield and Skyla was taken to Leeds General Infirmary.

The next day Miss Giller was phoned by a social worker and told Skyla ‘had been taken to hospital and was extremely poorly’.

She went to hospital later that day. ‘It was devastating,’ said Miss Giller. ‘There were wires and things coming out of her head, nose and mouth with a huge cut on her head where they had done brain surgery.

‘There was a lot of swelling to her head and she had a black eye. Two social workers were with me and they didn’t tell me anything except that she was poorly.’

Miss Giller said her daughter had an emergency brain operation and was put on a ventilator in the intensive care unit.

However, another phone call the following morning revealed that Skyla had deteriorated and doctors wanted to switch off her life support machine.

Bradford coroner’s office confirmed it had been informed of the death and an inquest would be held.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said its inquiries were continuing. No arrests have been made. Officials at Wakefield social services department made no comment last night.”
Torment of mum whose baby died after being ‘dropped by a foster carer’: ‘Absolutely devastated’ birth mother says couple and social services both failed her daughter

 

[Daily Mail 9/3/17  by Chris Brooke]

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Update:“A baby who was allegedly killed after being dropped by her foster mother suffered ‘catastrophic or repetitive’ trauma to the brain, a court heard.

Little Skyla Giller suffered fatal brain injuries while under the care of paramedic Sarah Higgins, 42, while they were alone in her home.

A doctor told a court that colleagues who assessed ten-month-old Skyla considered it likely her injuries were ‘catastrophic or repetitive’.

Jurors in the manslaughter trial at Leeds Crown Court, West Yorkshire, were told there was ‘no obvious medical cause’ of the brain injuries that killed baby Skyla.

Jurors had previously been told how Skyla died at Leeds General Infirmary two days after Higgins dialled 999 and told the operator the baby slipped and fell to the floor while feeding her.

Higgins and her partner Martin Dobson are both Yorkshire Ambulance Service paramedics and were in the process of adopting Skyla at the time of her death on August 26, 2017.

Consultant paediatrician Elizabeth Day told the jury how she examined Skyla after she was admitted to hospital and found five bruises on the baby’s right arm. The jury was shown a diagram of where the bruises appeared.

Prosecutor Richard Wright QC asked Dr Day: ‘What view did you form about the five marks?’

The doctor replied: ‘No explanation has been provided for this.’ The trial has heard Skyla also suffered bleeding to eye tissue and optic nerves.

Dr Day said an ophthalmology report suggested a ‘traumatic cause’ should be considered as there was no obvious medical cause for the injuries.

She told the court she interviewed Higgins about the incident at her then home in Huddersfield, West Yorks., on August 24, 2017.

The doctor said Higgins described how she had been sitting on a wooden rocking chair feeding Skyla.

The defendant said the baby had been ‘grizzly’ and was not taking her milk.

Dr Day said: ‘Sarah stood up to turn Skyla around to face her and, in her words, ‘I lost grip of her’.’

Higgins said the baby fell to the floor from around chest height and fell on her bottom in what she described as not being a ‘significant fall’.

Higgins told the doctor Skyla did not initially appear to be injured and she put the baby back in her cot.

She described how she became concerned when Skyla’s face ‘went blank’ and she noticed blood in her mouth.

Higgins went on to describe how Skyla’s body went ‘floppy and the colour drained from her body.’

Dr Day said: ‘Sarah said she called Martin on her mobile phone. She thought this was the quickest way of summoning help. Sarah then ran to the lounge and dialled 999.’

The doctor said Higgins told her she then ran across the street to get a neighbour and screamed: ‘Please help me.’

Higgins denies manslaughter. The trial continues.”

Foster mother claimed 10-month-old baby died after falling off her knee during feeding but doctors had found bruises in previous checks, court hears
[Daily Mail 3/5/2020 by Sebastian Murphy-Bates]

“Jurors were sent home early today (March 13), midway through the morning as defendant Sarah Higgins was giving evidence.

Higgins, a Yorkshire Ambulance Service paramedic, is accused of the manslaughter of her ten-month-old foster daughter Skyla Giller.

The prosecution claims Higgins must have caused the fatal injuries to Skyla after losing her temper and subjecting her to a “violent action”.Skyla died at Leeds General Infirmary two days after Higgins dialled 999 and told an operator that she had dropped the baby onto the floor while feeding her.

Higgins and her husband Martin Dobson are both Yorkshire Ambulance Service paramedics and were in the process of adopting Skyla at the time of her death on August 26, 2017.

At the start of the trial (on February 25) the jury was played a recording of the emergency call Higgins made from her then home on Oakfield Grove, Skelmanthorpe, Huddersfield.

The defendant told the operator that Skyla was unconscious and unresponsive after she had dropped her.

Higgins, now of Hillcrest Avenue, Townville, Castleford, pleads not guilty to manslaughter.

The defendant began giving evidence at the start of this morning’s court proceedings.

The case was adjourned around 90 minutes later following a short break.

Mr Justice Lavender told jury he was adjourning the case until Monday morning at 10.30am.

He said: “I gather that one of you is not very well.

“Thank you for trying this morning.”

The Judge added: “Have a good weekend and I look forward to seeing you on Monday morning when, fingers crossed, you will be fit and raring to go.”

Before the adjournment, Higgins answered questions about her family background, education, work status and the adoption process.

The defendant said she was born in Doncaster and moved to live in Brotherton after her parents separated when she was a child.

Higgins said she studied at Pontefract New College after obtaining her GCSEs before training to become a veterinary nurse as she had a life-long love of animals.

She said she joined the ambulance service in 2005 and met her partner during their training period.

Higgins said she had discussed children with her partner early in their relationship.

They were both keen to be parents but were unable to conceive naturally.

Higgins said she underwent eight unsuccessful rounds of IVF treatment.

The couple also travelled to Spain on two occasions for embryo donation.

The court heard the couple spent over £50,000 of their own money during their attempts to conceive before applying to adopt a child through Wakefield Council.

Higgins told her barrister, Jamie Hill QC, how she and Mr Dobson went through a rigorous year-long vetting procedure before their application was successful.

She said: “They look into your family members and interview various members of your family.

“They look into your finances, your beliefs, how you handle situations – everything you could possibly imagine.”

The jury heard that Higgins and Mr Dobson had separated since she was arrested.

Higgins became tearful in the witness box as she explained to the jury the reason for their separation.

The trial continues.”

Baby manslaughter trial adjourned at Leeds Crown Court after juror becomes ill
[Yorkshire Evening Post 03/13/2020]