Ava Renee Harford

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nine week old Ava Harford was in the care of her father Robert Harford Jr. He became frustrated with Ava because she was crying and would not stop crying. Instead of placing Ava in a safe place and taking a breather or seeking help for friends or family Harford threw Ava to the ground. Ava was taken by ambulance to Penobscot Bay Medical Center in Rockport and then airlifted to Maine Medical Center in Portland by LifeFlight helicopter.

 

Harford initially told police investigators that he then had noticed Ava's breathing wasn’t right and called her mother on her cell phone. When she didn’t answer the phone, he called the Samoset and left her a message. Originally, Harford said that he accidentally dropped Ava from a standing position when he picked her up for an evening feeding. Then on August 20, he admitted to police detectives that he had, in fact, thrown her to the floor. As he threw her to the ground, he believed she hit the side of the refrigerator.

 

An autopsy showed that Ava had died from blunt-force trauma to the head, including multiple skull fractures. Evidence of healing rib fractures, which were unexplained were also found. Harford, pleaded guilty in October 2009 to domestic violence manslaughter. A murder charge was dismissed. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison.