Father arrested after his 7-month-old daughter found dead in Burien apartment

BURIEN, Wash. -- A 27-year-old Burien man was arrested Wednesday for investigation of murder after his 7-month-old daughter was found dead in the family's apartment with severe blunt force trauma to her torso and head, the King County Sheriff's Office said.

In a probable cause statement, the sheriff's office said:

The father was left alone with his three daughters, ages 4, 2 and 7 months, after his wife left for work around midnight. When the wife  returned at about 10:30 a.m., she found her husband on the couch with the infant girl, Nawal. The baby had trauma to her head and face and was cold to the touch. She called 911 and the infant was pronounced dead at the scene.

In an interview, the father said his 2-year-old daughter caused the injuries to the infant by kicking and punching her.

In the King County medics' opinion, the injuries would be "highly unlikely" to have been caused by a 2-year-old child.

The father was booked into the King  County Jail on investigation of second-degree murder.