Burton Mail readers have reacted to the publication of a report of the serious case review looking at the handling of Ayeeshia-Jayne Smith in the months before her death.
Many believe that while the little girl was let down by the system, she ultimately died at the hands of her mother, Kathryn Smith, the person who should have protected the tot above everyone else.
Goldflea wrote on the Burton Mail's website: "Her mother failed her, surely. There is always someone else to blame."
Erica Bloomfield took to the Burton Mail's Facebook page and said: "The system may have let this little girl down but at the end of the day the one person who is meant to love, protect and take care of her took her life in a disgusting, cruel, evil way. I hope AJ now rests in peace and her so-called mother suffers for the rest of her life."
Stacey Seagrave agreed, saying: "Social services are a massive let-down but she was supposed to be that baby’s mum. What kind of person even does that? Everyone around let that child down; surely to God neighbours heard things? Fingers can be pointed at everyone though, but fact is it’s too late and that poor baby suffered at the hands of pure evil."
Margie Cotton said: "Just heart-breaking. This little girl was failed by everyone."
However, other readers believe more should have been done by agencies to protect AJ.
Emilee wrote on the Burton Mail's website: "Yet another 'case review'. How many more times must this kind of needless death happen in modern Britain?
"Thankfully when Theresa May was home secretary she listened to concerns and put in place an independent inquiry panel, which will be of some help, even though the panel does not include people from backgrounds of actual child abuse who have first-hand knowledge of the subject.
"I do sometimes wonder if it might be time to start bringing the staff responsible for these failings before the courts to explain their actions and failings.
"Perhaps then we might start to see improvements to the services, joined-up working between agencies and, most importantly, no more of these dreadful and needless deaths."
Ayeeshia-Jayne Smith serious case review
Kerryanne Hassent questioned why AJ was given back to her mother after a period in foster care. She said: "I agree it is absolutely disgusting. The mother is solely responsible for her death. But there is a pattern of statistics of children throughout the UK that are on a high risk child protection register and often fostered into better homes and are then given back to the parents despite documented negligent evidence in front of them.
"The question is why? Imagine how the foster parents feel with this outcome. No jail time ever makes something like this just or right, in my opinion, especially to the ones who loved her, because I am sure she was. Very much so."
Shaylah Woodward said: "I can tell you the foster mum was and still is completely heartbroken."
