Father Sentenced to Life for the Murder of His Infant Daughter After Prolonged Abuse
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — An unthinkable tragedy unfolded in Christchurch after a mother’s dreaded experience culminated in the fatal abuse of her three-month-old daughter. The baby died following severe trauma, essentially summarily ending the young life that had hardly begun. Michael John Topp, the father, was subsequently charged and found guilty of her murder and additional charges of grievous bodily harm. The infant, whose identity remains protected under a permanent suppression order, suffered extensive injuries …