Abusive Dad Had Coffee While 3-Year-Old Daughter Died

The former housemate of an Australian father who admitted to the manslaughter of his three-year-old daughter has revealed what the father was doing while his daughter died.

Matthew Lee Williamson was in court to be sentenced for the death of his daughter, Kyhesha-Lee Joughin, who died in 2013 after suffering prolonged sexual and physical abuse.

Williamson’s former housemate, Christopher Kent spoke in court about what happened when Kyhesha died. Kent spent 19 months in jail after he also pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Kyhesha, according to the Daily Telegraph. 

Kent said in court that when he noticed the toddler’s lips were turning blue, he tried to wake Williamson, who seemed uninterested, focusing instead on his coffee and cigarettes. 

“He didn’t give a s***,” Kent told the court. “He just wanted his coffee and smoke.”

According to Metro, Williamson admitted to using a rope to tie up Kyhesha, but denied that he abused her. He is accused of using a large sex toy on the girl, punching her in the stomach, pulling her ear until she bled, and posing with her while naked, among other things.

Kyhesha’s cause of death was a perforated bowel after prolonged physical and sexual abuse. The girl’s wound became infected. The court heard that such an injury would likely be so painful that she would not have been able to eat, drink, or move for the last 12 hours or so of her life.

Williamson said in court that despite the fact that his daughter threw up green vomit for several days, had blood in her diaper, and her face was bruised, he neglected to take her to the hospital. He said that he opted not to take her to the hospital because he thought that doctors would alert police.

“I was afraid I’d lose her to welfare,” he said. “Because of the state she was in.”

On March 30, 2013, Williamson called police to report that he awoke to find that his daughter was not breathing. According to the Daily Telegraph, Kyhesha was found at the time of her death with bruising on her face an injury to her temple, lacerations on her ear, and cuts on her lip. She had also suffered a stomach injury that appeared to be caused by a blow from a foot or a fist, or an adult falling on her.

Williamson told police that the injury was a result of him tripping and fell on Kyhesha. Kent said in court that he accidentally tripped and hit the three-year-old with his knee.

Kent told the court that he regularly witnessed Williamson physically abusing his daughter. He recalled Williamson punching daughter in the stomach and said of the abuse, “It was like two adults fighting.”

On the day Kyhesha died, Kent says he was clearing things out of the house, such as a bong, needles, and empty beer bottles, when he found a photo of Williamson resting his penis on Kyhesha’s shoulder. No photos were found during searches of the house, however.

Williamson’s hearing continues.

Sources: The Daily Telegraph, Metro / Photo Credit: News.com.au