Des Moines man loses appeal in death of daughter

A Des Moines man convicted of killing his one-year-old daughter has lost his appeal. Last year David Petithory was convicted of child endangerment, neglect, domestic assault and possession of meth in addition to involuntary manslaughter for the death of his baby daughter. Petithory told cops he put the baby in the bathtub with her three-year-old half sister, then fell asleep in the hallway outside the bathroom. The baby drowned in the tub. Cops found evidence of drug use in the home and Petithory tested positive for drug use. Petithory appealed his convictions, arguing his lawyer was ineffective and he didn’t get a fair trial. The Iowa Court of Appeals has ruled there’s “substantial evidence” to support Petithory’s conviction and the Court of Appeals also ruled that his new attorney had failed to prove his old attorney was ineffective.