NASHUA - Authorities on Tuesday charged a father previously convicted of endangering a child with killing his newborn daughter.

Randy Lee Blanchard, 31, is accused of committing first-degree murder in the death of Aliya Blanchard, according to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

Aliya was hospitalized with symptoms of shaken baby syndrome. She died Monday at Saint Marys Hospital in Rochester, Minn. She was 12 days old.

Authorities scheduled an autopsy Tuesday.

Blanchard was initially charged Friday with child endangerment causing serious injury and arrested in Olmstead County, Minn., where he was in custody. Following a hearing Tuesday morning, Blanchard waived extradition to Iowa to face the murder charge.

Aliya was taken to Floyd County Memorial Hospital in Charles City on Feb. 5 and later transferred to Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo. The baby's injuries were consistent with shaken baby syndrome, according to DCI officials.

Hospital security staff contacted authorities at the Nashua Police Department because of the baby's condition. Aliya was moved to the intensive care unit at Saint Marys.

Aliya was the daughter of Blanchard and Annette Eilderts, 700 Andrews St., in Nashua. The Chickasaw County Sheriff's Department executed a search warrant Thursday, two days after Aliya initially went to the hospital.

According to court documents, Blanchard was convicted of second-degree theft in 1995 in Black Hawk County and placed on probation. He was sent to Independence Haven, a facility formerly in Waterloo for people with mental health and drug and alcohol issues. His probation was later revoked.

Blanchard was convicted in 1998 in Black Hawk County of child endangerment causing serious injury, a Class C felony. He was sentenced to prison for two years.

He also has a felony conviction in 1998 for controlled substance violation involving marijuana. He received a five-year suspended prison sentence and put on probation, according to court record. His probation was later revoked.

Blanchard was charged with domestic abuse assault in 1999 in Fayette County. He pleaded guilty to simple assault and was sentenced to 30 days in jail.

In 2000, Blanchard was sentenced to 30 days in jail for violation of a domestic abuse no-contact order and for providing false information to law enforcement officials in Fayette County.

In June he was convicted of possession of drug paraphernalia in Chickasaw County and fined.

First-degree murder is a Class A felony and a conviction carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison.

Contact Jeff Reinitz at (319) 291-1578 or jeff.reinitz@wcfcourier.com.