Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Hollie Ashurst: Police identify 14-month-old baby as father charged with her murder

Hollie Ashurst was ‘a bright, smiley, happy little girl and was everyone's ray of sunshine,’ her mother says

Monday 04 March 2019 16:02 EST
Hollie Ashurst died in Wigan after being taken to hospital with head injuries.
Hollie Ashurst died in Wigan after being taken to hospital with head injuries. (PA)

A 14-month-old baby who died after being taken to hospital with head injuries has been described by her mother as "everyone's ray of sunshine".

Hollie Ashurst died in Wigan last despite the best efforts of hospital staff, Greater Manchester Police said.

Daniel Ashurst, 32, from Wigan, has since been charged with her murder and remanded in custody to appear before Wigan Magistrates' Court later this week.

In a tribute released by the force, her mother said: "Hollie was my dream come true. She was such a bright, smiley, happy little girl and was everyone's ray of sunshine. Hollie brightened everyone's day and was an inspiration and never unhappy.

"Fly high my princess with your other loved ones and sweet dreams my baby girl, I will always love you."

Her aunts, granddad and uncle also described Hollie as "always smiling", and said she loved watching the popular children's shows Mr Tumble and In The Night Garden.

"She has been through operations with her clef, but she never let anything bother her. Hollie was the happiest baby," they added.

In their joint tribute, they described her as clever and alert, and said that she had just started to crawl.

Officers were alerted by medical staff on Thursday at around 2pm that a child was being taken to hospital with head injuries, GMP said.

A post-mortem on Monday confirmed Hollie died of head injuries, the force added.

Press Association

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in