32-year-old man pleads guilty to culpable homicide of daughter

32-year-old Joseph Ray pleaded guilty to culpable homicide of his two-month old daughter Ava at the High Court in Glasgow today.

Ava Ray died at the Royal Hospital for Sick Kids in Edinburgh on Friday, 2 November, 2012, having been admitted after taking unwell the previous day.

This prompted an enquiry led by Police Scotland’s Major Investigations Team, resulting in Joseph Ray being charged in connection with her death.

Detective Inspector David Pinkney said: “Ray took the life of his daughter. Just months old, Ava should have been safest in the care of her father – instead he inflicted injuries that she would never recover from.

“I would like to thank Ava’s extended family for their support throughout the investigation and I sincerely hope that the punishment handed to Ray offers them some form of closure so that they can begin to move on with their lives.”

Ray will return to court next month to be sentenced.