UK: 18-week-old child dies after father keeps her near gas fire to 'wake her up'

West Yorkshire: A man in West Yorkshire, the United Kingdom, was convicted of cruelty for keeping his 18-week-old daughter near a gas fire to ‘wake her up’, which caused her death.

According to a report in Daily Mail, Daniel Sheard, 24, and his wife Lucy Damen, 22, have been charged with cruelty to a person under 16 years.

The incident had taken place on September 30, 2013, at their home in Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire. Daniel had called for an ambulance early in the morning and when the paramedics arrive at their home, they found the baby – Kayleigh Sheard – with several injuries.

Kayleigh’s face was burnt and Daniel had applied an antiseptic cream on it. She also had bite marks and fractured bones in her right shoulder and arm. The paramedics declared her dead few minutes after arriving at the family’s home.

Daniel had told the paramedics that the baby was fine when he had put her in bed. "I don't know what happened," he said.

Nicholas Campbell QC, prosecuting, said the gas fire was burning at its maximum heat when the attendants arrived at the scene. The couple had “neglected Kayleigh by failing to provide adequate medical care”, he added.

The Leeds Crown Court has granted bail to the couple until the sentencing date.