Father cleared of killing daughter after seven-year-old son confesses

Anthony Michael Sanders was charged for the murder of Ellie Mae in April last year

Anthony Michael Sanders (Watuaga Police Department)

A man convicted of killing his two-year-old daughter has been cleared after her older brother admitted to causing her death.

Anthony Michael Sanders, 33, was accused of smothering Ellie Mae Sanders at their home in Fort Worth, Texas in December 2015.

Police believed Sanders held his hand over the girl’s mouth in a fit of rage when she interrupted him playing computer games.

He was jailed in April 2016 but continued to deny responsibility for the incident.

Sanders said he found his daughter not breathing after his son, then five, said she was asleep and would not wake up.

As reported by Fox News, authorities recently learned the boy, now seven, had told his mother he had hit his sister with a pillow and the pillow was too heavy to remove from the girl’s head.

Sanders’ defence lawyer said his client was “elated” the charges were dropped.

At the time of the death it was reported the girl was found with some bruises and two bite marks, but Sanders attorney said any further charges would be up to the district attorney.

“It is my understanding that it is over,” he said. “There will be no more charges coming out of it.”