S03E11 - Special (Part 1) - The Murder of Ellie Butler

In the season 3 special of British Murders, I tell the tragic story of the preventable death of 6-year-old Ellie May Butler.⁣
⁣
In February 2007, when she was just 6 weeks old, Ellie was rushed to hospital with retinal haemorrhages, a subdural haemorrhage and swelling on the brain.⁣
⁣
Her father, Ben Butler, was arrested and Ellie ⁣
went to live with her maternal grandparents for the next 5 years.⁣
⁣
In November 2012, Ellie was ordered back into the custody of her birth parents by High Court Judge Mary Hogg.⁣
⁣
On October 28, 2013, less than a year later, Ellie was murdered at home by her father.⁣
⁣
In the first episode of this 2 part special, we'll be focusing on the events leading up to Ellie’s death.⁣
⠀⁣
Next week, we'll discuss the events that occurred in the aftermath of Ellie’s death.⁣

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Intro music:
David John Brady - 'Throw Down the Gauntlet'
https://linktr.ee/davidjohnbradymusic

My recording equipment:
Shure SM7B Vocal Microphone
Cloud Microphone Cloudlifter CL1
Focusrite Scarlett Solo USB Audio Interface
Rode PSA-1 Professional Studio Boom Arm

Recorded and Edited in:
Audacity

Mastered in:
Auphonic

References:

Alibhai-Brown, Y. (2016, June 22). Ellie Butler: The judge handed her to a monster - and must now be held to account. Inews.Co.Uk. https://inews.co.uk/opinion/columnists/ellie-butler-judge-handed-monster-must-now-held-account-11755

BBC News. (2018, April 10). Ellie Butler murder: Grandfather describes last meeting with six-year-old. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-london-43715423

Davis, M., C. B. E. (2016, April). CHILD D | A SERIOUS CASE REVIEW OVERVIEW REPORT. Sutton Local Safeguarding Children Board. https://www.suttonlscp.org.uk/static/professionals_files/SSCB%20CHILD%20D%20OVERVIEW%20REPORT.pdf

Ellie Butler murder: how the case unfolded. (2016, June 21). The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jun/21/ellie-butler-how-the-case-unfolded

Judge who returned Ellie Butler to father told she would have ‘blood on her hands.’ (2016, June 21). The Irish Times. https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/uk/judge-who-returned-ellie-butler-to-father-told-she-would-have-blood-on-her-hands-1.2693434

Kinship. (n.d.). Special Guardianship Orders. Retrieved August 23, 2021, from https://kinship.org.uk/for-kinship-carers/advice-and-support/legal-options/special-guardianship-orders/

Masson, J. (2016, June 27). Ellie Butler: child welfare v parents’ rights. University of Bristol Law School. https://legalresearch.blogs.bris.ac.uk/2016/06/ellie-butler-child-welfare-v-parents-rights/

Mendick, R. (2016, July 29). Sibling of Ellie Butler was savagely beaten in days leading up to little girl’s death, court judgment reveals. The Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/29/sibling-of-ellie-butler-was-savagely-beaten-in-days-leading-up-t/

Mrs Justice Eleanor King. (2014, June). Approved Judgment. The Royal Courts of Justice. https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/matter-of-c-child.pdf

New Light On Ellie Butler Parents’ Relationship. (2016, July 30). Sky News. https://news.sky.com/story/new-light-on-ellie-butler-parents-relationship-10516758

Rossington, B. (2016, June 22). Ellie Butler’s evil parents have horrified the nation - but who are they? Irish Mirror. https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/world-news/ellie-butlers-evil-parents-horrified-8251734

Special report: Serious Case Review of Ellie Butler. (2016, June 27). Locum Today. http://locumtoday.co.uk/article.php?s=2016-06-27-special-report-serious-case-review-of-ellie-butler

Spillett, R. (2016, July 30). Murdered Ellie Butler’s father tortured her sibling just days before killing the tragic six-year-old as full details of the family’s horrific home life are finally revealed by court. Mail Online. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3714995/Full-details-horrific-home-life-murdered-Ellie-Butler-revealed-court.html

Taylor, J. (2016, June 21). Child killer Ben Butler compared his legal fight to that of Hillsborough families. Liverpool Echo. https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/child-killer-ben-butler-compared-11503760

The Guardian. (2016, June 21). Ellie Butler’s grandfather Neal Gray: “It’s hard to accept” [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgeRp8fYYmc&t=399s