A Lethbridge father pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and failing to provide the necessaries of life to his six-week-old daughter on Friday.
The father cannot be identified due to a publication ban protecting the identity of the child.
According to an agreed statement of facts read Friday afternoon in the Alberta Court of Justice family court, which deals with cases of domestic violence, police performed a wellness check at a Lethbridge home on Jan. 18 of this year and found the infant was having trouble breathing, with a twitching hand and fixed gaze.
After being examined by doctors, more severe injuries were discovered, including head trauma, damage to spinal ligaments, bleeding around the spinal cord and a detached retina in her left eye.
Her prognosis remains uncertain and doctors say she may live with cerebral palsy.wa
A roommate previously told police he saw the father repeatedly slap the baby’s head and face, bounce her off the bed and force a bottle into her mouth several times.
The father gave a statement to police the day after the child was taken from the home, telling an officer he would get frustrated with the baby when she cried and bounced her on the mattress and couch, calling it “playing basketball.”
He also said the child’s mother told him he was too aggressive and that he was feeding the baby inappropriately.
The Crown and defence lawyers issued a joint submission of seven years in prison. The father is currently in custody.
Justice Kristin Aislby said she wanted time to review the sentencing proposal and adjourned her final decision to Aug. 4.
The father was also facing charges of sexual assault and sexual contact with a child, but those were withdrawn after the Crown told court doctors found there were no injuries consistent with sexual assault and convictions on those charges were unlikely.
Last week, the child’s mother pleaded guilty to one count of failing to provide the necessaries of life.
She is set to return to court for sentencing on Aug. 18th.
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