Dad charged with manslaughter in death of 13-month-old daughter (Lauderdale County, Alabama)

Hmm. Wonder what the story was here. Was dad JUSTIN GREEN "caretaking" while Mom was at work? Or was this a custody/visitation situation? At any rate, no mention of the mother here.

http://www.myfoxal.com/story/27348195/charges-upgraded-against-man-accused-of-infants-death

Charges upgraded against man accused of infant's death

Posted: Nov 10, 2014 6:43 PM EST Updated: Nov 10, 2014 6:43 PM EST

LAUDERDALE COUNTY, AL (WAFF) - Charges were upgraded against a man accused of killing his 13-month-old child.

Authorities originally charged Justin Green with criminally negligent homicide, but a Lauderdale County grand jury thought the evidence warranted a more serious charge.

The district attorney presented the case to a grand jury last week, and they decided to upgrade the father's charges to manslaughter.

According to the police report, Justin Green told investigators the little girl got wrapped up in a cord from a remote-controlled truck last August.

Investigators said Green was the only adult at the home.

They said he had two other small children inside the Hermitage Hills apartment at the time.

An autopsy found marks around the child's neck, but investigators said evidence from the crime scene suggests it was more than just an accident.

Lauderdale County Assistant District Attorney Will Powell said it was always their intention to present this case to a grand jury, but says these types of cases take time to fully investigate.

"It's hard to believe from the evidence that's available in this case that this was just an accident," Powell said. "It's the state's intention to hold the adult that was in charge of those children responsible for that child's death."

"This is a tragic case. A... child was strangled and somebody needs to be held accountable," he added.

Justin Green is out of jail on a $10,000 bond. An arraignment date has not yet been set.