Springville police officer Dayanira Navarrete was one of several people who began crying in the courtroom after seeing graphic photos of a baby girl’s injuries during an attempted murder trial on Monday.
Navarrete and her senior officer were the first ones to reach a home where a 911 caller said her husband had thrown a baby on the ground.
In the police body camera footage, Navarrete could be seen cradling the 4-month-old girl while the other officer asked the mother about what happened.
“It’s gonna be OK, you’re going to be OK,” the officer whispered on the video as she comforted the baby who had gone still.
“He went out of his way to kill (her),” said prosecuting attorney Carl Hollan. “As soon as the police arrived, he told them that he had killed his daughter.”
After nearly five hours of deliberation, jury members convicted Philip Hatfield, 28, of attempted aggravated murder for intentionally trying to kill his 4-month-old daughter.
Prosecutors were pleased and relieved with the unanimous decision after spending three days questioning witnesses and arguing details of the case during the trial.
“I thank you on behalf of the judiciary for your time and efforts,” Judge Lynn Davis told the jurors after receiving the verdict in 4th District Court in Provo.
The trial began Thursday with opening statements as a jury of eight people and two alternate jurors sat stone-faced, silently taking notes. They were admonished by the judge not to allow sympathy to influence their decision but rely on the evidence presented at the trial.
“No case is black and white. There is context to every set of facts,” said defense attorney Neil Skousen on Thursday.
He argued Hatfield had no awareness of his actions due to his high level of intoxication the night of the incident. Hatfield had taken “a cocktail of drugs,” including marijuana and prescription medication, and therefore could not knowingly harm the baby.
In closing arguments on Monday, defense attorney Greg Stewart added that Hatfield had made a mistake but did not intend to kill his daughter.
“Does that video look like someone who is aware of his conduct?” Stewart said, referring to police footage when Hatfield was arrested. “Something went wrong that night, he wasn’t himself.”
But prosecuting deputy attorney Christine Scott argued intoxication is not a free pass to hurting others.
“It doesn’t matter if he regrets it. What matters is what he was thinking as he did it,” she said. “What we do know is that he tried really, really hard to kill the youngest, the most innocent, the most defenseless.”
On Aug. 6, 2017, Springville police officers found Hatfield walking naked in the road and shouting he had killed his daughter and needed to be arrested, according to court documents,
Investigators learned Hatfield had argued with his wife at their home. During the argument, he pushed his wife who dropped the baby she was holding.
Hatfield picked up the baby and threw the girl onto the concrete floor in the hallway. He then threw the child against a pool table and broke a picture frame on her, prosecutors explained.
When Hatfield tried to pick up the infant again, the mother wrestled the baby away from him in a “tug of war,” further injuring the baby.
“She held on because she knew he was going to kill that baby,” Hollan said, pointing to Hatfield across the courtroom. “Yes, he was high, but he knew that was his daughter and he knew he was hurting her. And he knew what he was doing would kill her.”
The infant was transported to Primary Children’s Hospital and treated for two skull fractures, extra-axial blood, swelling and bruising on her arms, face and legs.
Two other small children were in the home during the incident. Hatfield was also found guilty of assault and domestic violence in the presence of a child, both class B misdemeanors.
The sentencing is set for Jan. 2.
