Authorities say his newborn was being fussy, so he threw her into another room, killing her

John Peterson says his newborn daughter was being fussy.

Authorities say a Minnesota man threw his newborn daughter four metres across his home's living room and into the kitchen, fatally injuring her.

The reason? She was being fussy, he told investigators.

John Peterson was arrested Tuesday, about three weeks after the death of his 5-week-old, who suffered head injuries that included a skull fracture, NBC affiliate KARE 11 reported.

Officials say Peterson, who has been charged with second-degree murder, lied to officers about how his daughter died. He initially told officers that the infant stopped breathing completely after being "fussy," KARE reported. He later said his daughter hit her forehead after he accidentally dropped her in the sink.

On Monday, after doctors concluded that Peterson's account didn't square with the severity of the infant's injuries, investigators questioned him about his story.

He admitted that he became frustrated with his daughter, who was screaming and crying, KARE reported. He lost his temper and threw her into the kitchen.

Peterson told investigators that the infant "landed on her back and skidded across the floor" before her head hit the bottom of the cupboards, the Brainerd Dispatch reported, citing the complaint.

Peterson has been charged with second-degree murder. Photo / Aitkin County Jail

The 33-year-old said he lied to investigators because he "was very scared," KARE reported.

First responders were called to a home in Palisade, Minnesota, a small town more than 130 miles north of Minneapolis, on November 18. The child's mother told first responders that her daughter was having breathing problems, KARE reported.

The infant died three days later.

Calls and emails by The Washington Post to the Aitkin County sheriff and prosecutor were not returned yesterday.

Peterson is in custody in the Aitkin County Jail, according to an online jail roster.

He appeared in Aitkin County District Court on Thursday, and his bond has been set at $1 million, according to news reports.

Second-degree murder in Minnesota is punishable by at least 40 years in prison.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1640 children died in 2012 because of maltreatment, which involves both child neglect and physical abuse. Seventy per cent of those who died were younger than 3.

Often, the parents are the perpetrators of abuse, the CDC says. In 2012, 80 perc ent of perpetrators in reported child abuse or neglect cases were the parents.