By Ranjan Bhaduri
Nov. 19, (THAINDIAN NEWS) Miles Ferguson, suspected of killing his five-week-old daughter, was acquitted on Wednesday after the jury of the Horry County court took four hours to decide the verdict- after a two week long trial. The not-guilty announcement had the supporters applauding in the court and the family breaking out in hugs. Ferguson, along with his wife and family, shed innumerable tears and mouthed “thank you” over and over again to the jury members.

In 2007, the 27-year-old Portsmouth resident had been vacationing in Myrtle beach with his family, when suddenly his daughter Mylee stopped breathing and fell unconscious. Miles, who was trying to change her diaper, noticed this and patted her on the back, and even blew air into her mouth. He then called emergency services who took the child to the Grand Stand Regional Hospital. The baby failed to live, succumbing two days later at the Medical University of South Carolina. The workers at the hospital claimed that they had noticed marks on the body of Mylee which is prominent with being shaken up. Police, charged and arrested Fregusan with a count of homicide by child abuse.

The defense attorney presented a number of medical experts who testified in favor of Ferguson and said that Mylee had a head injury at birth which started bleeding again five weeks later due to a head infection. This was proved to be the likely cause behind the death of the baby. Ferguson’s attorney also said, that the family needed Ferguson to be with them and not in a jail, after suffering such a heavy loss.