Dad found guilty of murdering adopted baby in Cardiff

A 31-YEAR-old man has been found guilty of the murder of his 18-month-old adopted daughter in Cardiff.

Matthew Scully-Hicks (31) had denied killing Elsie Scully-Hicks in May 2016, just two weeks after formally adopting her.

He was found guilty today of causing fatal injuries to Elsie by a jury at Cardiff Crown Court.

The trial heard how Scully-Hicks told the 999 call operator that he had been changing Elisa’s nappy and found her “limp and floppy” on the floor.

She was rushed to hospital but died four days later due to her injuries.

A medical examination showed that she had suffered injuries to her brain and eyes, which was considered to be consistent with being gripped and violently shaken.

It was also shown that she had suffered fractures to her ribs, thigh and the base of her skull.

Lisa McCarthy, senior prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service in Wales, said: “Elsie suffered serious injuries at the hands of her adoptive father and these ultimately caused her death. This was a tragic case and our thoughts and sympathies are with Elsie’s loved ones.

The evidence put forward by the CPS proved that Matthew Scully-Hicks was not only responsible for those injuries, but that he intended to seriously harm her. The prosecution built a case through careful and detailed analysis of witness accounts, medical evidence and the circumstances surrounding Elsie’s death.

He will be sentenced at a later date.

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