Father Killed Infant Daughter And Beat Girlfriend Over Having To Babysit

Lexington, MO – Disappointing news comes out of Lafayette County where, in a motivated act of petulance, a father has been implicated in the homicidal death of his daughter and assault of his girlfriend.

Twenty-four-year-old Alex Gilbert has been charged with second-degree murder in the May 20 death of his 10-week-old daughter Brenlee, and accused of giving his girlfriend Stephanie Hinklin two black eyes because he was enraged over having to babysit the infant.

Emergency services responded to the couple’s home on Linn Road last Friday, May 17 to a report that Brenlee had been gasping for air, but by the time the ambulance arrived found the baby unresponsive.

Brenlee’s was transported to St. Mary’s Hospital in Blue Springs, then transferred to Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City where she died three days later, succumbing to injuries that were later discovered in the post-exam.

The child’s autopsy, performed by the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office, revealed the she suffered from injuries consistent with blunt force trauma – a fractured skull, several broken bones, contusions, and brain damage.

Court documents indicate Gilbert was left alone with the baby last Thursday evening for approximately two hours while Stephanie was out running errands. According to Stephanie, when she returned the baby was asleep and had slept through the night.

However, Brenlee didn’t wake as usual for her regular feeding and ingested very little of her formula. Sometime after the child went into distress and required medical attention.

Following Brenlee’s unfortunate, premature death, the family opted to donate her organs.

Gilbert is in the Lafayette County Jail on a $500,000 cash-only bond. His next scheduled court appearance is May 29.

Missouri state penal code 565.021 states the crime of murder in the second degree is imposed when a person knowingly inflicts serious injury on another, resulting in their death. It is a class-A felony. Under section 558.011 of the Missouri Revised Statute, the authorized term of prison cannot exceed 30 years, but no less than 10.

[Image via Shutterstock/suspect mugshot]