A young Red Deer man accused of killing his baby girl is to be sentenced today.
Zaria McCall, born July 27, 2011, died of severe head trauma at the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton at 12:45 a.m. on Nov. 26, 2011, just hours after her father shook her violently and then threw her to the floor in a fit of rage.
Julian Oliver Thomson, now 22, turned himself in at the Red Deer City RCMP on Dec. 1 and pleaded guilty to manslaughter before Justice Earl Wilson in Red Deer Court of Queen’s Bench on Monday.
Court heard on Monday that Thomson had broken up with the baby’s mother, Victoria McCall, but the two were still living together so they could share parenting duties.
In reading a statement of facts agreed to by the Crown and defence, Crown prosecutor Jason Snider said Thomson had grown frustrated with his former girlfriend, who had gone to Edmonton the day before the incident.
He and Zaria had spent the afternoon of Nov. 25 with a friend, who left at about 5:30 p.m., just a few minutes before the babysitter was due to arrive.
The sitter came to the basement apartment to find Thomson attempting to dress the baby, who was obviously injured, but was not crying.
The babysitter immediately called her husband, who then drove them to Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre.
Zaria was transferred by STARS air ambulance to the Stollery Children’s hospital.
An autopsy report showed severe head trauma, including three fractures in her skull and extensive internal bleeding.
Zaria’s mother and other family members were unable to control their tears as they read how the violent death of her baby had broken their hearts and destroyed their lives.
McCall said she can’t sleep without help and, when she does, she suffers nightmares.
Her mother, Christy McCall, glared briefly at Thomson before taking her place at the podium.
“It is all I can do to help (my daughter) through this nightmare,” said McCall.
Thomson sat quietly in the prisoner’s box, his face pale and his head slightly bowed, showing no outward reaction throughout the hearing.
Defence counsel Patty MacNaughton said her client also suffers deeply from his actions and has made no attempts to deny his responsibility for the death of his baby.
“I can’t tell you how many times he has expressed his sadness and regret over this momentary lapse. He loved the child and the mother,” said MacNaughton.
She is seeking a sentence of four and a half years, with 10 months credit for the time Thomson has already served in remand.
Snider said a sentence “in the range of five years” would be appropriate, noting that the abuse of a child is an aggravating factor and that the sentence should denounce the crime while sending the public a strong message of deterrence.
Justice Earl Wilson said that, while the two sides were fairly close in their submissions, he felt it appropriate to take some time to craft an appropriate sentence.
Thomson was to return at 10 a.m. today for sentencing.
bkossowan@www.reddeeradvocate.com