Hardin man sentenced to life in prison for newborn's death

HARDIN, TX (KTRK) -- A 31-year-old Hardin man will spend the rest of his natural life in prison after being convicted of capital murder Thursday, May 12, in the 75th State District Courtroom of Judge Mark Morefield in Liberty County.

The jury deliberated just two-and-a-half hours before returning a guilty verdict against Brian Christopher Keith, who was found to be responsible for the July 2, 2013 death of his wife's 33-day-old baby girl, Neveah Keith, at the family's home on CR 2061.

The child reportedly was conceived while Keith was away in prison serving a three-year sentence for arson. In court on Wednesday, Liberty County assistant district attorneys Steve Taylor and Matthew Poston called on the testimony of Alexis Dickson, a friend of the Keiths. She told the jury that she attended a holiday gathering with the Keith family, during which she felt his demeanor was "angry" and "embarrassed" that his wife was pregnant with another man's child.

This story comes to us through a partnership with The Cleveland Advocate.