Police: Dad beat 3-month-old daughter to death (Norwalk, Connecticut)

Dad JUSTIN SMITH was babysitting....

http://www.thehour.com/story/514823/police-father-beat-3-month-old-daughter-to-death

Police: Father beat 3-month-old daughter to death
By STEVE KOBAK Hour Staff Writer
Posted on 11/18/2011

The Hour Online

NORWALK-- A 28-year-old city man was arrested on a warrant Friday for allegedly beating his 3-month-old daughter to death, police said.

Justin Smith, of 8 Highland Court, is being held on $750,000 bond for charges of first-degree manslaughter, first-degree assault and risk of injury to a minor. He is expected to be arraigned Monday at Norwalk Superior Court.

The Youth Bureau of the Norwalk Police Department began investigating the abuse when the 3-month-old child, Hailey Pamela Smith, was admitted to Stamford Hospital with a severe head injury on July 27 and had to be transferred to Yale-New Haven Hospital due to the seriousness of her injury, police said.

Detective Michael Murray assumed the investigation, and he soon discovered that the child had been treated on July 2 for a head injury, police said. Justin Smith was watching the child on each of the occasions when the child was injured, according to police. Hailey Pamela Smith died on July 30, and the Medical Examiner's Office conducted an autopsy on the child on Aug. 2.

The Medical Examiner's Office ruled on Nov. 8 that the death was a homicide, and Hailey Pamela Smith died of blunt head trauma, according to Lt. Ashley Gonzalez, commander of the Youth Bureau.

Police obtained a warrant for Smith's arrest on Friday and took him into custody at his Highland Court residence.

Gonzalez said the investigation is still ongoing, and police may arrest additional suspects in connection with the abuse.