Evil drug-dealing dad jailed after his baby daughter died with traces of cocaine & cannabis in her body
AN evil drug-dealing dad has been jailed after his baby daughter died with traces of cocaine and cannabis in her body.
Darryl Avery, 29, took the baby girl from the care of her mother after a row - even though the child was still breast feeding.
He failed to have the baby checked out after he crashed his car and then took her to a pub and a family barbecue at which drink and drugs were available.
Avery, from Devon, refused repeated requests by the worried mother to let her feed the tot and persuaded two female relatives at the barbecue to feed her from their own breasts.
The baby was tragically found lifeless and unable to breathe early on the morning after the party and all attempts to revive her failed.
The mother was called but found her baby being treated unsuccessfully by paramedics.
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A post mortem examination failed to find a definitive cause of death and there was no evidence that either Avery's neglect or the traces of drugs in her system contributed to her death.
This led to Avery being prosecuted for child cruelty rather than a more serious charge.
And cops raiding his home found that he had been dealing cannabis.
Officers also discovered a broken taser which was disguised to look like an iPhone was also found by police.
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The mother's victim impact statement said: "When I heard my child had been in an accident, I wanted her checked over but I found out he never sought medical help.
";He was not concerned about the welfare of the child. His only concern was to not get in trouble.
"When I got the phone call on Sunday, it was the most devastating call any parent can receive. I was in panic and distressed and went to help. It was so difficult to see her being worked on by paramedics. It is something I can't get out of my head.
"My whole life is in turmoil. I was not allowed to see her for almost 24 hours before her death. I will never forgive Darryl for that. I still feel she would not have passed away if I had been there.
"It was horrible not being able to breast feed my own child. When I heard that others had done it, I felt disgusted. I just want justice for my child. I want the court to know that what Darryl did was not acceptable."
I was not allowed to see her for almost 24 hours before her death. I will never forgive Darryl for that."
Mother of the child
The baby was taken from her mother's home in Newton Abbot, Devon, at around noon on Saturday July 6 2019, and she never saw her alive again. The baby died early the next morning.
Avery admitted child cruelty, possession of cannabis with intent to supply, possession of a prohibited weapon and an unrelated charge of affray.
He was jailed for three years by Recorder Malcolm Galloway at Exeter Crown Court who said the baby probably ingested the drugs when she was breast fed by Avery's relatives at the barbecue.
He told Avery: "You deliberately kept the child from her mother from Saturday until Sunday morning, when she received the most devastating call any parent can receive and was told her daughter was not breathing.
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"I make clear that this tragic death cannot be linked to your actions. The cause of death is listed as 'unascertained', but you have kept her away from her mother. That is something that will haunt her for the rest of her life.
"I find the exposure of the child to drugs to be the most serious factor in this case."