Father Who Killed His 3-Month-Old Girl Violently Gets 42-Year Prison Term

A Lakewood, Colorado, man was convicted Wednesday in the death of his 3-month-old daughter and was sentenced to 42 years in prison, the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office said. Kelly Kerr, 39, was found guilty in March in the July 2017 death of Olivia.

According to local reports, the father was the primary caregiver for the baby as her mother went out for work. On the day of the incident, the mother received a call from Kerr who said the baby was not breathing.

Prosecutors said in court that the father did not call 911 and it took him 17 minutes to call the girl’s mother. The girl's mother had then called 911 to inform about the incident. When the Lakewood Police Department and West Metro Fire Rescue arrived at the scene, located on 10500 block of West 26th Avenue, they found the baby was not breathing.

Olivia was rushed to Lutheran Medical Center where medical staff were able to get a pulse. She was later airlifted to Children’s Hospital Colorado, but the baby died.

During the treatment, doctors found Olivia suffered a major skull fracture, a second skull fracture, bilateral retinal hemorrhages, multiple rib fractures, and bruising on her face and jaw, local media reported.

The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office told the jury during the five-day trial that an autopsy revealed the cause of death was blunt force trauma. An expert testified in court during the trial saying the girl’s injuries were consistent with having been shaken.

In less than two hours the jury deliberated and came with the verdict that Kerr was responsible for the death of the child and found him guilty of child abuse charges.

“In an unspeakable act of violence, Mr. Kerr took the life of a precious 3-month-old baby,” District Attorney Pete Weir said. “He has earned every day of the sentence imposed by Judge (Randall) Arp.”

Earlier this month, Alabama police said a 6-month-old girl was fatally shot by her father, who then killed himself in an apparent murder-suicide. The murder allegedly followed some domestic dispute, but details were not immediately clear. Trenton Gordon also shot the girl’s grandfather inside a home in Ohatchee.