Caretaking dad charged in death of 7-month-old daughter (Niagara Falls, New York)

While Mom was out of town on business, dad JASON K. KIRCHNER was taking care of their two daughters. Unfortunately, dad's notion of caretaking included blunt force trauma to the head of the 7-month-old, who died from her injuries.

http://www.niagara-gazette.com/local/local_story_289000403.html

Published: October 16, 2009 12:03 am

COURTS: Falls father charged in infant death

By Rick Pfeiffer
rick.pfeiffer@niagara-gazette.com

Niagara Gazette

A Falls father has been charged in the death of his 7-month-old daughter.

Jason K. Kirchner, 27, 2919 Porter Road, pleaded not guilty during an arraignment in Niagara County Court to charges of criminally negligent homicide and second-degree manslaughter. He was released from custody on his own recognizance, pending further proceedings.

Falls police detectives say the charges stem from an investigation that started on May 21 after Kirchner’s daughter was found dead in the family home.

Kirchner said he found his daughter, Abbigail, unresponsive in her crib in an upstairs bedroom a few hours after putting her to bed for the night. He was home and caring for the infant along with another daughter, 2, while their mother was out of town on business.

According to detectives, Kirchner told them Abbigail had fallen off a couch the night before and struck her head.

An autopsy by the Erie County Medical Examiner’s Office concluded the child had suffered blunt force injuries to her head and had been suffering from pneumonia.