Carl Wheatley Admits Killing His 4-Year-Old Daughter After Winning Full Custody So He Could Claim More Benefits

Carl Wheatley killed his daughter after winning custody so that he could claim more benefits. The supermarket worker appeared in court and admitted to killing his four-year-old daughter, Alexa-Marie Quinn, in March 2014, but denied he murdered the young child.

The St. Albans Crown Court heard testimony that Carl Wheatley lost his temper and carried out a “sustained period of hard beating” to little Alexa-Marie.

According to prosecutor, Christopher Donnellan, Wheatley fought for custody of Alexa-Marie, in addition to his three year-old son, so he could claim more benefits, Mirror reports.

Donnellan said, “He was of the view that having one or both children with him would enhance his benefits and could result in better accommodation.”

On March 12, 2014, shortly after 9:00 AM, Wheatley called emergency services after a “period of sustained beating.”

Carl claimed two minutes before he called for help Alexa-Marie stopped breathing. However, emergency service personnel said Wheatley waited for “some time” before making the call. Wheatley said, by the time he called emergency services, Alexa-Marie was drowning because she had fluid in her lungs.

In a phone call to emergency services, Carl yelled the following to the operator.

“She’s drowned. She’s drowned in fluid; she might have internal fluid on her lungs. She needs an ambulance right away.”

He added.

“I’ve had her for a few months, I got a bit frustrated with her, and I harmed the poor child. I’m being honest with you I need to think about my child.”

Prosecuting attorney, Donnellan said Carl Wheatley was carrying out a “charade” when he called emergency services even though he eventually performed CPR on the child.

Donnellan enlightened the court.

“He lost his temper with her; she was just four-and-a-half years old. This wasn’t just a single blow; this was a sustained period of hard beating of her.”

Further testimony by a pathologist suggested Alexa-Marie’s injuries were caused by “blunt force trauma to the skin.”

The morning young Alexa-Marie died, forensic evidence showed Wheatley did internet searches for “what effects can internal bleeding cause” and “can lots of bruising get infected.”

Prosecutor Donnellan offered the following explanation about Wheatley’s horrendous treatment of Alexa-Marie.

“In the weeks before she died when he hit her he hit her hard and he hit her more and more. He went to considerable lengths to avoid Alexa-Marie being seen by anyone. He knew at the time what he was doing and that he was causing her harm. Harm that was visible to the paramedics who witnessed the level of bruising to her lower body. That is why we say the charge in this case is murder.”

The BBC reports presiding Judge Andrew Bright made the subsequent statement to the jury.

“The killing of a child is likely to arouse strong emotions– such a reaction is completely natural and entirely understandable. Please put emotions completely to one side.”

A few years before Alexa-Marie’s death, a court placed the child in foster care after removing her from her biological mother, Victoria Quinn.

Carl Wheatley, diagnosed with ADHD, fought for full custody of Alexa-Marie and was later granted the responsibility by Hertfordshire County Council.

Prosecutor Donnellan made this statement to the jury.

“You will hear from a number of agencies over why Mr. Wheatley was given custody of Alexa in the first place and why there wasn’t more supervision. It will be suggested that this could have prevented Alexa’s death. But the defendant made his own choices. He chose to not contact anyone for help.”

Wheatley had a son with another woman. Before the brutal death of Alexa-Marie, Wheatley was fighting for custody of the three-year-old boy, as well.

Carl Wheatley admits to manslaughter, but denies he murdered his four-year-old daughter Alexa-Marie by reasons of diminished responsibility.

[Featured image viw South Beds News Agency]