The judge said it was “incontrovertible” that Isabelle was a “happy, healthy and thriving child” before Simpson came into her life, but “within a matter of weeks” she was being physically and sexually abused.
Norton said Walker had looked after Isabelle “appropriately” before June 2025, telling her: “In your own way I’m sure you loved her, but you were more interested in yourself and your needs than you were in Isabelle’s.”
The court heard Walker drank heavily every night and used and sold drugs.
The judge said it was not for her to say whether it was Walker’s “attention-seeking”, which also included falsely claiming to have cancer, that led to her offending against her daughter or a “misguided loyalty” for her new boyfriend.
But Walker had been “callous” and told repeated lies to those trying to save her child’s life, the court heard.
“Any death is a tragedy,” the judge said, adding: “The death of a very young child at the hands of those who should have cared for, protected and loved her as she no doubt loved them, is particularly distressing.”
