Weeping factory worker who shook his baby daughter to death when he was 'very tired' from night shifts is jailed for seven years

  • Arunas Guzas, 40, shook his six-month-old daughter Milana to death in February
  • He tried to say he found her on the floor but medical staff became suspicious
  • He claimed he had massaged the baby and put her in the shower to revive her 
  • Despite efforts to save her Milana's life support was switched off after four days

By Kate Buck For Mailonline

Published: 11:56 EST, 20 December 2017 | Updated: 05:24 EST, 21 December 2017

A father who shook his six-month-old daughter to death and blamed it on being tired wept in the dock as he was been jailed for seven years.  

Arunas Guzas (pictured), 40, has been jailed for seven years for shaking his six-month-old daughter to death

Arunas Guzas (pictured), 40, has been jailed for seven years for shaking his six-month-old daughter to death

Arunas Guzas, 40, was working night shifts when he caused the fatal injury to his daughter Milana after he was left alone with her. 

Factory worker Guzas of King's Lynn, Norfolk, denied manslaughter, but was convicted on Tuesday after a two week trial at Norwich Crown Court.

She was admitted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Norfolk, with retinal, rib and arm injuries in February.

Despite efforts to revive her by experienced medical staff and being transferred to Addenbrookes's Hospital in Cambridge, little Milana died after her life support was switched off four days after the brutal attack.   

Scans showed that she had suffered bleeding on the brain and 'irreparable brain damage' caused by 'non-accidental injury'.

Medical staff became suspicious after Guzas brought Milana into hospital, saying she had been asleep on his chest when she let out a cry and became stiff and unresponsive. 

One explanation he gave was that he had fallen asleep and woken up to find her on the floor.

Instead of calling paramedics, he tried to contact his partner and claimed to have massaged the baby and put her in a shower to revive her. 

Guzas wept in the dock as he was sentenced on Wednesday  by Mr Justice Garnham.

The judge told him: 'You shook her hard, probably repeatedly, causing her head to flop forwards and backwards then threw her on the bed.

'I accept you did not intend to seriously harm her and certainly had no intention to kill. You must have known to shake her like that was wrong and likely to cause her some harm.'

Mr Justice Garnham added: 'I recognise the guilt you have suffered over the death of Milana.'

William Carter, defending, said: 'This case on any view is tragic. He is simply broken.'

He added that Guzas would have to live for the rest of his life, knowing he was responsible for the death of his child.

Justice Garnham said he recognised the guilt Guzas had suffered over the death of his baby daughter

Justice Garnham said he recognised the guilt Guzas had suffered over the death of his baby daughter

Mr Carter said that Guzas had been tired after working nights.

He added: 'He was not just tired, he was very tired and that had come about in relation to the change of his shift pattern.'

He said that Guzas had started working nights to try to provide a better life for his family.

Mr Carter said: 'What followed which must have taken seconds was a loss, not of temper, but of control. They are different, resulting in what must have been forceful shaking.'

Det Chief Insp Mike Brown, who led the investigation, into Milana's death said: 'This was an extremely tragic investigation from the outset involving the premature death of a baby girl. Her death was sadly inevitable given the extent of her injuries.

'Our primary concern throughout this enquiry has been to seek justice for Milana, which today's result reflects. I would also like to offer my thanks to the medical staff who treated Milana and immediately recognised the seriousness of her condition.'

 

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