Teenage dad admits shaking his three-week-old daughter to death leaving her with a fractured skull, broken ribs and brain damage

A TEEN dad has been accused of "f***ing conning everybody" after admitted shaking his three-week-old daughter to death today.

Thomas Haining was originally charged with the murder of his daughter Mikayla – but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of "culpable homicide" at the High Court in Edinburgh.


Mikayla sustained a fractured skull and ribs as well as bleeding and damage to brain after Haining  – now 21 – shook her on June 8, 2017.

It is understood the child struck her head against a door in the horrifying attack.

Haining had denied murder since his arrest but admitted the lesser charge today.

As he was remanded in custody, a man was escorted from the courtroom screaming: "He is f***ing conning everybody".

SICK SEARCHES

The court was told how Haining had made three Google searches following his attack on Mikayla.

The first was for "baby took a panic attack and now she's unresponsive".

The second for "what happens when a newborn is shaked hard".

The third was for "newborn in a coma".

CRYING MORE THAN USUAL

Advocate depute Michael Meehan said the child's mother Shannon Davies had moved in with Haining the previous year while pregnant with Mikayla.

In the two days before the baby met her death she was said to have been unsettled and crying more than usual.

It is understood that mum Davies went to bed while Haining stayed downstairs to settle the child.

Davies later checked on 23-day-old Mikayla – who appeared to be sleeping – in the early hours of the morning.

Haining later texted Davies asking about Mikayla's thermometer and woke the mother up to check the child's temperature twice that morning, claiming the child seemed cold.

MIKAYLA STOPS BREATHING

Just after 5am, Davies was woken up by Haining shouting that Mikayla had stopped breathing.

She was rushed to Raigmore Hospital where a CT scan revealed widespread bleeding to the brain.

A post mortem later certified the cause of death as head trauma.

The court heard medical experts who reviewed CT images from Mikayla expressed the view that the baby's brain injuries were "catastrophic and unsurvivable".

Mr Meehan said that the skull fracture sustained by the child was caused by "significant blunt force impact".

He added: "The rib injuries are consistent with significant pressure being applied to the baby's torso during shaking."

Haining, a former shop assistant, has been remanded in custody ahead of sentencing next month.

Judge Lord Pentland said he would give consideration to victim impact statements ahead of the sentencing and asked for a background report to be prepared on the first offender.

The judge asked for an explanation of the Crown decision to accept the plea to culpable homicide. Mr Meehan said an inference could be drawn that there was not an intention to kill on the part of Haining.

He said there was an account of "a loss of control for a short period of time with catastrophic consequences".


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