Cleveland Police have acknowledged failures in their handling of the case of Isabelle Welsh, a two-year-old girl who was sexually assaulted and murdered by her stepfather, Harrison Simpson, 22. The force admitted they did not execute an arrest warrant for Simpson in the months leading up to Isabelle's death in September of last year. The warrant was issued in March 2024 after Simpson failed to appear in court on charges of breaching a non-molestation order, which had been put in place following reports of harassment unrelated to the murder.
Simpson and Isabelle's mother, Alexandra Walker, 26, were convicted of murder and child cruelty. Simpson was also found guilty of assault by penetration of a child under 13. They were sentenced to life imprisonment with minimum terms of 27 years and 21 years, respectively. Isabelle suffered a "campaign of violence" in the weeks before her death, enduring 21 broken bones, internal tears from sexual assaults, and 97 soft tissue injuries. Her death was ultimately caused by a "massive head injury" consistent with being violently shaken and impacting a hard surface.
Cleveland Police stated that multiple inquiries and arrest attempts were made to locate Simpson but were unsuccessful. In the interest of transparency, Isabelle's family was informed of the outstanding warrant early in the investigation. The force acknowledged that the duration Simpson had an active warrant was "far from adequate" and initiated a review of their suspect management processes. This review has led to changes, including improved visibility of outstanding warrants, a comprehensive tracking system, and daily review of high-risk warrants by senior management.
Social services and police were reportedly unaware of the relationship between Simpson and Walker, who had been dating for three months before Isabelle's death. The local safeguarding hub had contact with Isabelle and Walker on two occasions in the weeks before the toddler's death, but no further action was taken. A health visitor saw Isabelle four days prior to her death but did not attend the family home. A hospital visit 11 days before Isabelle's death for a fractured leg also saw concerns raised by staff about potential abuse, but doctors overruled these concerns, allowing Isabelle to leave with Walker. The health visitor subsequently spoke to Walker by phone and was apparently satisfied that the situation was under control.
On the morning of Isabelle's death, Simpson was caring for her while Walker slept. During this time, she was sexually assaulted. Simpson left the property on his bicycle. When Walker awoke, she found Isabelle in a critical condition and, instead of calling for immediate medical help, searched online for reasons why a toddler might be bleeding. An hour later, she called her stepfather, who advised her to dial emergency services. Despite a rapid response from paramedics, Isabelle could not be saved and died the following morning.
Sentencing the pair, Ms. Justice Norton described their conduct as "sadistic." She noted Walker's failure to call for emergency services was to "save your own skin." The judge stated that Isabelle was a "happy and healthy child" before Simpson entered her life, and that there had been a "wall of silence, lies and obfuscation" surrounding the final weeks of her life. Simpson remained silent throughout the proceedings, while Walker was described as a "liar and fantasist."