A young father, found guilty of shaking his newborn baby to death, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison, with the judge branding him a ‘coward’. Juan Daniel Visagie’s four-month-old daughter, Aleaha, passed away in hospital on December 27, 2020, three months after sustaining a traumatic brain injury at the family’s residence in Gosnells, southeast Perth.
The 28-year-old father informed the Supreme Court that the injuries occurred when she fell off a couch. However, experts concluded that her injuries did not align with his explanation.
The infant’s injuries, comprising two significant brain bleeds and bruises to her chest, leg, and inner ear, were determined to likely result from forceful shaking.
He was also convicted for assaulting another former partner by grabbing her by the throat and coercing her into a car.