Father Who Beat 9-Month-Old Baby To Death Out Of Frustration Gets 9 Years Behind Bars

A Japanese father accused of beating his 9-month-old baby daughter to death out of frustration now faces a sentence of 9 years behind bars.

Kazuki Kura, 30, an unemployed resident of Hitachinaka City, has been sentenced to nine years in prison by the Mito District Court in Ibaraki Prefecture for fatally physically abusing his daughter Hazuki in 2018, allegedly over his frustration that the newborn child was not bonding with him, Japan Today reported.

Between August and September 2018, Kura physically assaulted the infant, leaving the baby with a seriously fractured skull. Later that year, from October to November, Kura continued to sporadically beat the infant’s head with his fist leading to a traumatic brain injury that eventually resulted in the baby's death.

Kura's lawyers reportedly said that he physically assaulted the infant as an outlet for his own stress. The defense team also claimed that Kura “was frustrated because the child wouldn’t bond with him.”

Prosecutors had requested the court to hand Kura a 13-year jail sentence. Meanwhile, the defense team asked for a reduced term of a five-year prison sentence, highlighting that Kura has “promised to undergo rehabilitation.”

In a similar but unrelated incident, a man named Jordan Lee, 29, from Blackpool, faces a life sentence with a minimum of 16 years for axing Willow, his four-month-old daughter, to death for crying, Latin Times reported.

Lee allegedly carried out the assault at his home in Onslow Road on Dec. 3, 2020, while his wife was at work.

Willow was initially rushed to Blackpool Victoria Hospital. She was later transferred to Alder Hey Children's Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on Dec. 6.

Lee was also accused of changing the narratives multiple times following Willow’s death. Lee initially told the investigators that the baby died due to an accidental fall from the sofa, while he was playing "Call of Duty" on his Xbox.

However, the medical reports revealed that the baby had suffered a deep head injury, along with extensive bruising to her ears, face, and arm. Lee swiftly changed the narrative again and claimed that the child suffered an accident as he carried her upstairs.

Neighbors reportedly informed the investigators that they heard the baby’s wails followed by a man’s hollering and a series of bangs at the time of the assault.

Detective Inspector Mark Dickinson expressed his gratitude to the jury for seeing through Lee's lies and commended the deceased infant’s mother for placing faith in the system. He also commended her for handing over evidence in a rather dignified approach, at a time of extreme difficulty.