Mummy’s Little Girl: A heart-rending story of abuse, innocence and the desperate race to save a lost child. Jane Elliott

she didn’t even understand. Dani cried out – in little more than a pathetic whisper.

      ‘Shut up,’ a voice hissed, and she recognised it at once. It was Dingo, the boy she had met at breakfast: the boy who was supposed to be looking after her.

      She whimpered again; someone punched her and hissed once more. Then she lost control. A scream, loud and desperate, escaped from her lips; and once she started, she couldn’t stop. Startled by the sound, by the vehemence of it, everyone around her instantly melted away, disappearing from the room as quickly as they had appeared. But Dani still didn’t stop screaming. She just couldn’t.

      Kaz and Vicki said nothing as Dani lay there, still scrunched up, her duvet on the floor. Tears seemed to take over her whole body. She was shaking with them. And still the screams came.