JOHN BURRILL FROM FLEETWOOD SENTENCED FOR MURDERING NINE-WEEK-OLD DAISY MAE IN TRAGIC FATALITY

In October 2016, a heartbreaking case unfolded in Fleetwood, Lancashire, involving the tragic death of a nine-week-old baby girl named Daisy Mae Burrill. Her father, John Burrill, aged 31, was found guilty of her murder after a nine-day trial at Preston Crown Court. The incident shocked the local community and drew widespread media attention due to the brutal nature of the crime and the circumstances leading up to it.

John Burrill, who worked as a shop assistant, had spent the evening prior to the tragedy indulging heavily in cannabis, reportedly spending up to £200 each week on the drug. On the night of the incident, he was in a state of intoxication when the events that would lead to his daughter’s death unfolded. According to court records, Burrill had been woken in the early hours by Daisy Mae’s crying. He spent approximately ninety minutes tending to her, attempting to soothe her, and then went back to sleep. However, just twenty minutes later, he was again disturbed by her crying at around 5 a.m.

In an act of violence that would have devastating consequences, Burrill took the crying baby downstairs and placed her in her Moses basket on a chair, hoping she would settle. When she continued to cry after he turned on the TV news, his frustration boiled over. In a moment of rage, he picked her up and forcefully threw her onto the sofa. This act resulted in a fatal injury, as Daisy Mae suffered a fractured skull when her head struck a baby monitor and a TV remote control left on the sofa.

Following the assault, Burrill reportedly went outside to smoke another cannabis joint in the back garden, leaving his daughter lying injured and unresponsive. When he returned indoors, he discovered Daisy Mae was motionless. Court testimony revealed that Burrill, who was known to spend significant amounts of money on cannabis, was in a state of intoxication and distress. He later told Daisy’s mother, Ashlee Cox, that if any of Daisy Mae’s hairs were found on the remote, it might be used to implicate him.

Despite the severity of her injuries, Daisy Mae was taken to Manchester Children’s Hospital, where she was placed on life support. Tragically, she succumbed to her injuries three days later after her life support was withdrawn. Medical examinations confirmed she had sustained a large skull fracture, consistent with a hard impact, as well as injuries indicative of shaking or being gripped tightly and swung against a hard surface. Additional injuries included fractured ribs, which had occurred days before her death, and damage to her calf, shin, and thigh bones. The post-mortem report concluded that her injuries were the result of significant, non-accidental violence.

During the trial, the jury was informed that the family had been living in cramped conditions, sharing a single bedroom in their terraced house. It was also revealed that Burrill’s drug use was a source of stress, leading him to punch walls, although he had not previously been violent towards his partner or the baby. The night before the tragedy, Burrill had been smoking cannabis and was woken up twice by Daisy Mae’s crying. After the second wake-up, he took her downstairs, placed her in her Moses basket, and attempted to settle her. When she continued crying, he became frustrated and, in a moment of rage, threw her onto the sofa.

Burrill later claimed that he was