Father 'intent of watching football' sentenced to life for shaking four-month-old daughter to death
A 33-year-old father, identified as Neil Smith, was arrested and jailed after being accused of killing his four-month-old daughter while he was watching football, according to reports.
Smith was reportedly caring for Hope Sofia alone for the first time in August 2017 when the incident occurred. According to reports, when Smith's wife Nicola made a FaceTime call home to check in on their daughter, she was told that the four-months-old was "floppy and lifeless," according to The Sun.
Soon after the call, the mother rushed back home in Walsall West Mids and took her daughter to a nearby hospital where she was told that Hope had slipped into a coma. Hope's life support machine was switched off in November that year at Birmingham Children's Hospital.
According to reports, Hope had suffered catastrophic brain injuries consistent with being shaken and thrown onto the sofa.
Hope's father was later found guilty of murder after a trial at Birmingham Crown Court and was sentenced to life with a minimum 13 years in prison. The reason why Smith committed the atrocities against his daughter is still not known, however, according to officials it was because he was frustrated with her.