Dad pleads not guilty in death of 5-month-old daughter (Phoenix, Arizona)

Another case (literally!) of a layabout dad where the mom had to work. Dad AMOS ANDREAS can't even get his cover story straight....

http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2011/09/amos_andreas_pleads_not_guilty.php

Amos Andreas Pleads Not Guilty to Murder in Shaking Death of 5-Month-Old Daughter

By James King Thu., Sep. 8 2011 at 10:50 AM

​A Phoenix man charged with murder in the shaking death of his 5-month-old daughter pleaded not guilty this morning to charges related to the baby's death.

Amos Andreas, 25, is charged with second-degree murder and two counts of child abuse for the alleged July shaking incident.

On July 22, police were called to the Phoenix Children's Hospital in response to a report of an injured 5-month-old girl.

According to court documents obtained by New Times, while at the hospital, police interviewed Andreas, the baby's father, who told them he'd fallen asleep with the girl on his chest.

When he woke up the next morning, about 8:30, he found the baby on the floor, injured.

The baby's mother says she was at work when the girl was hurt.

On August 8, police re-interviewed Andreas. Believe it or not, his story changed.

In his second interview with police, Andreas told detectives he'd fallen asleep and the baby had fallen off him. When he woke up, he claims he was so angry with himself for allowing the baby to fall that he shook her "pretty hard."

On a scale of 1-10 -- 10 being as hard as he can -- Andreas told police the degree to which he shook his daughter was an 8.

Two days after his second interview with police, a forensic pediatrician determined that the baby suffered a subdural hemorrhage, a bilateral retinal hemorrhage, and significant brain damage caused by lack of oxygen. Each of those injuries, the pediatrician determined, were consistent with a baby getting shaken.

The baby died from her injuries on August 15.

Andreas was interviewed again on August 22. He again told police the story about being mad he'd allowed his daughter to fall. He told police that when he picked her up, she had a "shocked" look on her face. So he shook her.

His next court appearance is scheduled for October 25.