The father of a 6-week-old girl who died last week has been charged with murder.
Aaron Rowe, 23, of Visalia, was arraigned Monday at the Tulare County Pre-Trial Facility on one count of murder with the special circumstance of torture in the death of Peyton Rowe. The special circumstances means the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office could seek the death penalty or life in prison without parole.
His wife, Courtney Rowe, 21, was arraigned on one count of child endangerment with the special allegation of willful harm to a child. If found guilty, she could face 10 years in prison.
Police were called last week to the couple’s apartment, where the child was found not breathing. She was pronounced dead at a hospital. An autopsy revealed the baby died of blunt-force trauma and showed evidence of other wounds, Visalia police said.