A MAN has appeared in court charged in relation to the death of his three-month-old baby daughter.

Stephen Gallagher, 35, of Hepscott Avenue, Blackhall Colliery, County Durham, appeared at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court this morning.

He is charged with the manslaughter of Skylar Cowan on June 27 last year.

Mr Gallagher is also charged with causing or allowing the death of a child.

An investigation was launched after the emergency services were called to the house at 5.20am on Friday, June 27.

Paramedics found the baby that was not breathing and had no heart beat.

The youngster was taken to the University Hospital of North Tees, in Stockton, but her life could not be saved.

Detectives and scenes of crime officers were sent into the property to carry out investigations after the alarm was raised.

Mr Gallagher was subsequently arrested and charged in relation to Skylar’s death.

It is understood an inquest into the death has been opened and adjourned.

The details of the charge of causing or allowing the death of a child read: “At Blackhall in the County of Durham, being a member of the same household as, and having had frequent contact with a person who was at that time a child, namely Skylar Cowan, you caused that person's death or were, or ought to have been, aware that there was a significant risk of serious physical harm being caused to that person by the unlawful act of a member of her household which occurred in circumstances of the kind that you foresaw or ought to have foreseen and you failed to take such steps as you could reasonably have been expected to take to protect her from that risk.”

No pleas have been entered and the case against Mr Gallagher has been adjourned to Durham Crown Court on March 26 for a preliminary hearing.

He has been granted unconditional bail until then.