A 42-year-old man from New Orleans is now facing a second-degree murder charge following the death of his baby daughter.
Christopher Strickland, who had previously criticized Louisiana child welfare officials for investigating his infant son’s bruises in 2021
According to The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate, Strickland was arrested on Thursday and released on a $175,000 bond. He is also charged with cruelty to a juvenile in addition to the murder charge. Strickland’s attorney released a statement asserting his client’s innocence and denying any harm to his child.
The allegations against Strickland involve the severe shaking of his 5-month-old daughter, Louisa Strickland, resulting in grave injuries. During a bond hearing, Strickland’s defense attorney, Sarah Chervinsky, explained that the shaking occurred when the baby was discovered unresponsive, as Strickland tried to revive her.
Strickland dialed 911 on February 28 to report that his baby was unresponsive at their shared home
Strickland administered CPR before accompanying emergency medical technicians to Children’s Hospital, where the baby ultimately passed away two days later. The official cause of death, as determined by the New Orleans coroner, was complications from abusive head trauma.
Strickland and his wife Tess had complained about being subjected to a lengthy and unjustified child abuse investigation after Tess took their son to the hospital the previous year due to a bruise. The child was temporarily removed from their care but was later returned by court order, with the judge criticizing the state procedures. However, the Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate now reports that the couple’s 3-year-old son has been removed from their home once again and placed in the custody of his grandparents.
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