Man 'punched four-month-old daughter to death for making baby noises'

Morris hit her in the face 15 times with a closed fist 'to quiet her', says District Attorney

Police and paramedics arrived at the scene to find the child lying unconscious in a pool of blood (Hennepin County Sheriff's Office)

A Minneapolis man who beat his four-month-old daughter to death "because she was making baby noises" has been sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Cory Clifford Morris, from Minneapolis, was arrested in August 2016 after punching his daughter 22 times. Morris then told the baby's mother and grandmother he had hurt her and called the emergency services.

A judge rejected claims Morris was not responsible for her death because "he did not know what he was doing".

Police and paramedics arrived at the scene to find the child lying unconscious in a pool of blood on a changing table and blood spattered nearby, according to a criminal complaint.

The four-month-old was taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead from blunt force trauma.

Morris' right hand was swollen and there was dried blood on his clothing, hands and arms, according to the complaint.

Morris – who told police he was looking after the baby while her mother was at work – said he was watching television when the child started to make noises.

He carried her from her baby swing to her bedroom, where he put her on the changing table.

"When she continued to make noises, Morris hit her in the face 15 times with a closed fist and seven times in the chest "to quiet her", Hennepin District Attorney Mike Freeman said.

"This was a tragic murder of his four-month-old daughter. For reasons we can't explain, he became irritated when he daughter began making baby noises and trying to interrupt him.

"He put her on the changing table and tried to get her to stop making noise. He struck at least 15 times."