Baby Girl Drowned In Bath While Dad Browsed Facebook Leaving Her For Seven Minutes

In the wake of Leah Jayde's death on April 2 of last year, 26-year-old Daniel James Gallagher entered a plea of guilty to manslaughter.

Days after a close call in which Gallagher abandoned her in 10 to 12 centimeters of water, she passed away.

They lived in Queensland, Australia, and her father had put the infant in the bath while the water was still running.

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The Brisbane Supreme Court heard testimony about how Gallagher left Leah unattended as he attended to an electrical problem at the house.

He smoked a cigarette and left the house, then spent some time looking through Facebook.

The 26-year-old went back to Leah and discovered her "floating face down" in the overflowing bathtub, unresponsive.

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Before paramedics arrived to take over, the frightened father dialed 911 and tried CPR.

Shaylan Gallagher, Leah's mother, who divorced her high school love Gallagher in 2020, also hurried to the house to save her little daughter.

The infant, who was nine months old, was transported to the Hervey Bay Hospital, where regrettably she was declared deceased.

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Chris Cook, the crown prosecutor, calculated that Gallagher had neglected his child for around seven minutes.

He stated that the infant's death was "not an accident," even though he acknowledged there was "no doubt" the father felt regret.

Mr. Cook told the court: "It was beyond reckless. This was more than inattention, his actions caused an entirely avoidable death.”

"The victim impact here is of course extreme."

In a tragic twist of destiny, the court learned how a perilous incident identical to this one had happened while Leah was in her father's care.

Just a few days before the nine-month-drowning, old's mother Shaylan allegedly discovered her daughter alone in the bath while Gallagher was smoking.

The 26-year-old was "distracted by extraneous, irrelevant matters," according to his defense attorney Andrew Hoare, and failed to recognize the danger of drowning.

He added: "My client will always have the guilt of his conduct.”

"My client has appreciated that his conduct won't just affect him, but everyone who loved his daughter."

Shaylan, Leah's heartbroken mother, claims she was robbed of her infant daughter and is currently serving a life sentence.

She stated in an impact statement that she had gone through "great pain and physiological damage."

She described how, upon learning the heartbreaking news that Leah was unconscious, she started "screaming and bawling her eyes out."

The mother is now working to increase public awareness of kid safety.

Shaylan said: "It's about following your gut feeling. If you feel that your child is not safe somewhere, act on it.”

"I think it is just a constant reminder that you have your motherly instincts for a reason."

The first time he left Leah unattended, according to Justice Peter Applegarth, should have served as a caution to Gallagher.

After leaving her by herself in the sea, the father admitted to manslaughter.

He violated his duty of care by leaving Leah unattended in the bath and by turning on the water.

He was given a five-year term, 15 months of which will be suspended.