Dad pleads guilty to beating 10-month-old daughter to death in the shower (Regina, Canada)

First of all, the headline is idiotic. A "domestic argument" didn't "spark" anything. We're not talking about an internal combustion engine here. We're talking about a moronic father, JUSTIN JAMES COURTNEY, who decided to stay out all night. This angered the mother, so she decided to leave old Good-Time Dad and started packing. Well, when Dad wandered home he found this annoying, so he started punching and kicking the mom. Are we straight on this? No "domestic argument." An assault.

But that wasn't enough for Dad. No, he made nice for a while, and offered to drive Mom and the baby into town. But what Dad really intended to do was take the baby into the shower with him and beat her to death. This was after he had presumably calmed down. Totally pre-meditated evil.

http://www.theprovince.com/news/Domestic+argument+sparks+fatal+attack+baby+Regina+court+told/2318234/story.html

Domestic argument sparks fatal attack on baby, Regina court told.

By Jana G. Pruden, Regina Leader-Post
December 8, 2009

Canwest News Service

REGINA — A domestic argument appears to have sparked an horrific act of violence by a young father, who beat his baby daughter to death inside a shower at his home on the Carry the Kettle First Nation 2 1/2 years ago.

Justin James Courtney has pleaded guilty to manslaughter for the brutal killing of his 10-month-old daughter Kiona Rain Jenaya Oakes in May 2007. Courtney appeared at Regina Court of Queen’s Bench on Tuesday for sentencing arguments.

Courtney, now 24, will be sentenced Monday by Justice Ian McLellan.

Crown prosecutor Mitch Crumley said the baby’s parents had been living together on the Carry the Kettle First Nation in May 2007, when the child was just under 10 months old. Crumley told court that the child’s mother, Vanessa Oakes, thought Courtney was becoming a better father.

Crumley said Courtney went out with friends on May 11, 2007, and stayed out overnight. When he came home in the morning he began fighting with Vanessa, who was packing her things and planning to leave.

During the argument, Courtney punched and kicked Oakes multiple times.

Crumley said the confrontation eventually stopped, and Courtney agreed to drive Vanessa and the baby into the city after he had a shower.

Crumley said Oakes heard Courtney calling to her soon after and she found him in the shower, crying and holding Kiona. Crumley said the baby was “in bad shape,” with her eyes rolling back in her head, and swelling on her head.

Courtney claimed he had accidentally dropped the baby twice.

Defence lawyer David Bishop noted that, unlike some cases where a parent kills a child, Courtney immediately sought help for his daughter. Bishop said Courtney will have to live with what he did for the rest of his life.

Courtney spoke briefly during the proceedings.

“I just want to say I’m sorry . . . If there is anything I could do to change it, I would have,” he said quietly. “I wish it would have been different for Kiona . . . I’m sorry for everything.”