Twisted dad guilty of murdering his eight-week-old baby daughter in Bedfordshire home

Kevin Eves, 37, smothered eight-week-old Harper Denton and left her with a fractured skull, bleeding retinas, and fractures to her ribs, limbs and feet.

He was convicted of killing his daughter by a jury at Central Criminal Court in London today, and will be sentenced tomorrow.

In June 2018, an ambulance was called to a family home in Wixams, where Eves lived at the time, to reports of an unresponsive baby girl who wasn’t breathing.

Baby Harper was rushed to Bedford Hospital and despite attempts to resuscitate her, she was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

Three days later, examination results showed that Harper had a number of bone fractures to her ribs, arms, legs and feet.

Eves was arrested on June 19, 2018, and during his interview he denied knowledge of how Harper received her injuries. He was subsequently released on bail.

The pathology report showed that the bruises and fractures the baby had were of differing ages and suggested a pattern of inflicted trauma in a child who wasn’t mobile yet.

Results from a post-mortem examination were unable to ascertain a cause of death, but the court heard that an expert found the evidence was consistent with smothering.

Following the findings, Eves was further arrested and charged with murder.

The court heard how Eves was jailed for nine years in 2006 for similarly causing grievous bodily harm with intent and wilfully assaulting a toddler.

Senior District Crown prosecutor Peter Burt for the CPS said: “The strength of the medical and forensic evidence we presented in this case left the jury in no doubt that Eves was responsible for his daughter’s death.

“Baby Harper’s life was cruelly cut short by someone she was totally dependent on. The extent of her injuries was shocking, and it’s deeply upsetting to know the distress and pain she would have experienced each time her father inflicted these injuries on her.”

Peter added: “Our thoughts are with Harper’s mother, who has been denied the chance to see her daughter grow up.”