Dad detained over daughter death
Alberto Izaga detained under Mental Health Attack over killing of daughter Yanire, two
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Friday, 11, Jan 2008 07:32
A 36-year-old insurance executive who killed his two-year-old daughter has been detained indefinitely under the Mental Health Act.
Spaniard Alberto Izaga was today acquitted of the murder of his daughter Yanire by reason of insanity.
The Old Bailey jury, which returned a special verdict, heard how the former Swiss Re executive had suffered a "psychotic" episode on June 3rd last year.
His wife Ligia watched as he repeatedly attacked their daughter at their home on Albert Embankment, south-east London.
Yanire died two days later from head wounds consistent with, the prosecution said, being repeatedly smashed into the ground.
On the morning of the attack, Mrs Izaga said her husband had complained of getting no sleep for three days after returning from a business trip to Geneva.
At roughly 06:00 he went into Yanire's room and took her from her cot before shaking her repeatedly.
Later that morning Mrs Izaga tried to take her daughter from her husband but he refused to let go of the child.
She called both neighbours and emergency services as he began to repeatedly hit her, with a voicemail left on a friend's answer phone recording the entire attack.
Alberto Izaga was subsequently sectioned and claimed to have no recollection of the attack.
Speaking after today's verdict, investigating officer Detective Inspector Colin Burgess said: "All cases of child death are a tragedy. In this case, we have heard about the happy, contented family life of Alberto Izaga and his love for his little girl, every bit the doting dad.
"In a scene no-one could possibly have predicted, Mr Izaga attacked his daughter so badly she did not recover, despite urgent attention at hospital."