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

Dad of two-year-old murder victim Isabelle Welsh hits out at 'missed opportunties' WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT Joshua Welsh said he will never get over the horrific death of Isabelle at the hands of Harrison Simpson and Alexander Walker - two killers he described as "callous monsters" 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". Isabelle was rushed to hospital but had sustained an unsurvivable head injury and was pronounced dead the following day. Ms Justice Norton said Isabelle had either hit her head against a hard surface when she was violently shaken, or she had been swung by the legs into a wall or a piece of furniture. After a five week trial at Teeside Crown Court, Simpson, 22, was found guilty of murder, sexual assault by penetration and child cruelty while Walker, 26, was found guilty of murder and child cruelty. Recalling the horrific events for the first time, Joshua said he had been living with Isabelle and her mum for the first year and a half of her life before they split. He added: "I last saw her a few days before she turned two. Alex stopped me from seeing her. "I tried to and never wanted to not see her - but she wouldn't allow it. When Isabelle was in hospital, she didn't even declare I was her father so I lost the chance to say goodbye to her. "I had a very close bond with Isabelle. I was the first to hold her when she was born. I would always get a special cuddle from her and she was my little angel." "I did not have a clue about her new boyfriend. I did not know him from Adam. I had no suspicions of her while we were together. I did not in any way think she was capable of something like this. I thought she was a good mum. I think it's all his influence to tell you the truth. I am trying to get more information on it. But I knew nothing at the time." Joshua said the first he had heard of Isabelle's death was when police turned up at his home. He added: "They sat me down on the sofa and said there had been an incident and something had happened with Isabelle. "They just said she had passed away in hospital - but nothing about a murder or that she had been sexually abused. I just broke down instantly and cried my eyes out." He said he has only since learnt about all the failings - with one of the most serious being a failure by Cleveland police to execute an arrest warrant issued by Teesside magistrates court in March 2024 - 18 months before the murder. At the time he had failed to attend court for breaching a non-molestation order in place after reports Simpson had harassed and threatened a woman. Joshua added: "He had a warrant out for his arrest. I did not know about this and the police did not inform us. "I thought I was in the loop but was clearly not. I was not a witness in the trial but sat in the public gallery and got fed bits and bobs. Little bits here and there but obviously nothing like the detail I heard in court. "There was not one thing that I could say was the worst revelation. The whole thing was horrible, absolutely heart-breaking. I am shattered and will never be the same." Joshua said he found out two days after the verdict about the outstanding arrest warrant. "I did not get told by the police. My sister found out about it on local radio. I was absolutely raging. I was angry, hurt and upset. The police should be ashamed of themselves. "If they had done their job properly Isabelle would still be alive today. I want to campaign and raise awareness - to make sure the police do proper checks to stop this happening again. "Instead of leaving innocent kids in the hands of monsters I want them to do their jobs properly." Joshua said his initial feeling of relief at the guilty verdicts was quickly dashed hours later at the sentencing - and believes they should have been given a full life order. He added: "The sentence was absolutely shocking. I now need to fight for justice for my daughter. They will get out when they are 50. Isabelle won't have a life. She was a beautiful, innocent and loving little girl. "What was done to her is the worst thing imaginable. They will get out and be able to live their life. When the verdict was guilty there was a feeling of justice. There was a sigh of relief but then the sentencing a few hours later left me very angry. "For what they did, and for what they put Isabelle through a whole life order should have been made. If I could swear I would - but I have no other comment to make on my feelings towards them at the time. "I am still broken and in bits. I'm still grieving and struggling with my mental health. It is so horrific to lose your daughter in such circumstances. I thought she was being well looked after by her mum. Clearly she wasn't." Joshua said he was still living with the mum before they split up in August 2024 and said the first time he ever heard the name of her partner was when he was arrested and charged with Isabelle's murder. He added: "Social services needed to carry out welfare checks, the NHS child protection also let her down. Isabelle could have been saved in the NHS had worked property. If the nurse was not overruled by clinical doctors who did not have a clue. "There are such wide ranging failures - from the police to the social services to the NHS. There were several chances for the authorities to step in and save her. Yet she was handed back to these monsters. That is unforgiveable. "But I will remember Isabelle for her smile, for the happy and cheeky girl she was. Not by a photo of her next to those ugly monsters. As that is all they are. "It has all been very hard - from the moment I was first told about it until now.The support I have got from my family and friends has been all that has got me through it. They have been a rock to me and without them I don't know where I would be now." During the sentencing, the judge described the injuries to the girl as "sadistic" and said she was "obviously in pain and distressed and, in the final week of her life, gravely ill". Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Steve Chatterton, released a statement after sentencing, and said: "Isabelle was an innocent child who should have been safe and happy at home. The pain and suffering she experienced at the hands of Walker and Simpson was sickening. "This has been, without a doubt, one of the worst cases my team and I have dealt with. The severity and scale of Isabelle's injuries were shocking and the fact that Walker repeatedly lied to try and cover their tracks further added to the pain of Isabelle's family. Our thoughts remain firmly with Isabelle's loved ones." In relation to the outstanding warrant, Cleveland Police said in a statement: "Multiple inquiries and arrest attempts were carried out to try to locate and arrest him, but these proved unsuccessful. "We recognise the time Simpson had an outstanding arrest warrant is far from adequate. A review of this was immediately conducted upon his arrest for murder. "This review, along with a determination to continually improve our processes around suspect management, has led to a number of recent changes, such as ongoing improved visibility across the force around outstanding warrants, a comprehensive data system which tracks all outstanding warrants, and stringent oversight including a governance group led by a superintendent."