Grandpa defends son, who is charged with murder in death of 2-month-old daughter (Richmond, Kentucky)

Hey, I'm open-minded. Really I am. Sometimes a child can die in an accident. I know that. It can happen.

So I tried to stay open-minded as I read through the grandfather's defense of his son, who is accused of murdering his 3-month-old daughter. But ya know, I've read enough of these stories to smell the rats. Here are the rats:

1) Babies don't die because they bump their heads on the faucet when you're giving them a bath. And they don't die because they suck up a little water. Actually, they're a lot more resillient than that. And that's Dad's excuse for shaking the baby just a little "too hard"? Doesn't work for me, pal.

2) Dad is unemployed and apparently functioning as "primary caretaker" while Mom was working. Being a father who is unable and/or unwilling to get a job doesn't usually bode well for loving and attentive infant caretaking. That means somebody's doing infant care by default, not because he's especially suited to it. Unemployed fathers also have higher rates of child abuse. Research has shown this to be true.

3) Take a careful look at Dad's history. He has an extensive history of drug/alcohol abuse AND his ex-wife had taken out a domestic violence protection order against him before. What does this tell you about Daddy's coping skills, and his predilection to act out physically under stress? And we won't even go into his child support issues.

CONCLUSION: Afraid to say it, but this picture of Daddy is basically the picture of a classic infant abuser. "Caretaking" unemployed daddy under stress, with history of violence and/or drug alcohol abuse. Sorry, Grandpa.

http://www.kentucky.com/2010/04/15/1225217/richmond-man-defends-son-charged.html

Richmond man defends son, who is charged with murder in infant's death
By Greg Kocher - gkocher1@herald-leader.com

RICHMOND — The father of a man charged with murder in the death of his 3-month-old daughter says it was an accident.

"If I thought he had done something intentionally to hurt that child, it would break my heart," said Paul Farthing Sr., 52, of Richmond. "I've lost a grandchild, and now I'm looking at losing my son in prison."

Paul Farthing Jr., 30, was arrested Wednesday, the same day that his daughter, Rylee Jean Campbell, died at University of Kentucky Hospital, Kentucky State Police said.

The infant was taken to the hospital Sunday night after state police, responding to a report that Rylee had been assaulted by her father, were called to Meadowlark Drive in Richmond. The younger Farthing had been staying there with his brother and girlfriend, his father said.

The senior Farthing, a former Madison County deputy sheriff, said his son told him the death was an accident.

"Paul told me he decided the child needed a bath," Farthing said. "He put her up in the kitchen sink ... and was giving her a bath. He picked the child up and the child was wet and she slipped out of his hands and went back down in the water. I guess her face went forward and she kinda bumped her head a little bit on the faucet, put a little mark on her head.

"But in the meantime she sucked water in her mouth, and he thought she was choked. I guess he shook her a little bit, to make sure she was breathing or make sure she was OK. I guess in his panicked state, he shook her too hard."

"The thing that makes it look so bad on Paul is he didn't tell that right up front because he was scared," Paul Farthing Sr. said. "He said, 'Daddy, I was scared. I didn't mean to hurt my baby.' Paul is a loving father."

Paul Farthing Jr. has done house painting and odd jobs but did not have a full-time job at the time of the Rylee's death.

Rylee's mother, Ashley Campbell, works in a restaurant and had gone to work Sunday, Paul Farthing Sr. said. The couple had lived together about four years, and this was their first child together, he said.

Paul Farthing Jr. also has a 4-year-old daughter who is in the custody of his mother, who is divorced from his father.

Farthing remains in the Madison County jail. He is scheduled to be arraigned Friday morning by video from the jail. He declined a request for an interview Thursday.

Madison County court records show that Paul Farthing Jr. pleaded guilty to alcohol intoxication in 2002, driving under the influence in 2003, and theft and alcohol intoxication in 2004.

A district court judge issued a domestic violence order against Farthing Jr. in 2006, and told him, to have no contact with Anna Farthing. Their divorce was final in December 2007, two years after they married, according to court records.

The younger Farthing was also found to be in arrears on child support for the daughter he had with the Anna Farthing three times, court records indicate. The last time came in 2009, when he was found to be in arrears of $1,510 in child support.

The senior Farthing conceded that his son was not without blemish.

"Paul had his problems, I'll be the first to say that," Farthing Sr. said. But his hope is that his son didn't kill his daughter.

"This is a nightmare," said Paul Farthing Sr., who has seven surviving grandchildren. "I go to sleep and wake up and think this stuff will be over. It's sad. I don't uphold somebody mistreating a child. ... I'm just hoping people understand Paul is not a vicious baby killer."

Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2010/04/15/1225217/richmond-man-defends-son-charged.html#ixzz0lCk2ZFGd