The 2018 interview that brought Jane Linley-Thomas to tears
Dad of abused Phoenix child speaks out.
When the video of a little girl being shouted at and severely hit by her mother, while her boyfriend egged her on, was released to the public, we were all outraged.
The case grabbed headlines earlier this year when footage of the vicious attack was spread widely on social media. The clip shows the little girl being beaten to the point of unconsciousness.
Read: Dad of abused Phoenix child speaks out
A week after the incident, I sat down with the little girl's biological father in one of the most emotional interviews I would ever conduct. As a mother myself, I was beyond hurt, angry, and disappointed, and just needed to know where the father was in all of this.
Listen as he spoke out for the first time:
When asked how he became aware of the incident, he told me that he had heard the news from a friend as there was no communication between himself and the mother. According to him, he found out that his daughter was in the hospital after falling off a bicycle.
The mother and her boyfriend face charges of attempted murder. The Phoenix child abuse trial expected to start in 2019.
Listen: Phoenix mum who abused her child speaks out for the first time
I just hope that this little girl's future is brighter than her past.If you or anyone you know is suffering from abuse, or need to talk, please contact ChildLine on 08000 55 555