Dad of two-year-old murder victim Isabelle Welsh hits out at 'missed opportunties'

The dad of a two-year-old girl brutally murdered by her mum and new boyfriend has blasted the missed opportunities to save his "little angel."

Heartbroken Joshua Welsh, 27, said he will never get over the horrific death of tiny Isabelle at the hands of Harrison Simpson and Alexander Walker - two killers he described as "callous monsters."

The evil duo murdered Isabelle after a "sadistic" campaign of violence that included sexual assault and inflicting multiple fractures to 21 bones in the weeks leading up to her death. Both were sentenced to a life term with Simpson given a minimum 27 years and 231 days and Walker a minimum 21 years and 48 days.

But Joshua, of North Shields has now hit out at the litany of missed opportunities by the authorities - including police, social services and NHS staff - that could have stopped them before Isabelle was killed. He said: "What they both did was absolutely disgusting. That is no man. As for her - I don't know if I've got the words to describe her. She was meant to love her and protect her. She did not do either.

"They are just two callous monsters. I just want justice for Isabelle and be her voice now she is not alive. I need to spread the message and make sure she is never forgotten.

"Isabelle was bubbly, full of smiles and had so much love to give. Every time you would see her her little smile would light up a room. My main message would be not to let any strangers into your house. Do the right tests and checks before you let anyone take care of your children.

"But she was also failed by the authorities and there were several chances to save her if the police, social services and the NHS had done their jobs properly."

During the trial, the court heard doctors had "overruled" medical staff who had wanted to start safeguarding procedures when Walker repeatedly lied to clinicians to cover up a series of earlier assaults. Joshua also recently discovered police had failed to execute an earlier arrest warrant for 18 months against Simpson as they "couldn't locate him."

Joshua, who originally shared his story with Sell Us Your Story, said: said he had been in a relationship with Walker for around five years. He had believed her to be a good mum and said he had no welfare concerns for Isabelle despite not being able to see her as much as he wanted to after they split in August 2024.

He had last seen Isabelle days before her second birthday and had never heard of Simpson until his arrest. Paramedics attended her home in Thornaby on 13 September 2025 and found the tot covered in cuts and bruises.

The trial heard Walker had initially delayed ringing 999 wrongly believing Isabelle was dead and was trying to get her story straight - including internet searches on "why would my toddler be bleeding".