Your front page (June 27) led with the sad, unnecessary death of 11-month-old baby Crystal Hall-Hummel, a beautiful, helpless little girl.

I am incensed with this sorry case and feel that, once again, the agencies involved just did not do what they were supposed to – protect little Crystal.

What do they think is going to happen? The little child is going to cry for help herself and point out the risks she is threatened with?

What do these agencies actually do if they cannot reach decisions which would protect a child as young as little Crystal?

Of course, after all the hearings and a court case, authorities have tended to come out with the usual rhetoric: “We have new recommendations to stop this happening again,” and, “We are already working to implement them.”

I feel those involved in this case should hang their heads in shame.

George Mower, Hardwick Road, Hove

Your front-page headline read “Tragic trail of mistakes” regarding the 11-month-old baby girl killed by her mother’s boyfriend.

The story says that warning signs were missed by Sussex Police, West Sussex County Council, the NHS and hospitals in London and Worthing.

The baby was put under a “child in need” order instead of a “child protection plan”. Why was this, when the relevant authorities knew the child was being exposed to drugs?

Your story states, “The report admitted: ‘The significance of this issue  was not recognised at the initial strategy discussion.’”

Claims were made by the mother’s family that they had reason to believe the child had been given alcohol.

Every time a young child dies under circumstances such as these, all the relevant authorities say they are going to reorganise their systems and be more alert.

Yes, right! And so potential abuse continues unchallenged.

An apology to the families for “missed opportunities” and a lack of attention to their jobs would be of little use to the bereaved.

It is a complete and utter waste of time and money to have the relevant services available when they seem so useless in preventing the very things they are meant to.

Christine Luffman, Rotherfield Crescent, Hollingbury