BILLY BOB THORNTON - THORNTON'S EX LEAPS TO DAUGHTER'S DEFENCE OVER BABY DEATH

THORNTON'S EX LEAPS TO DAUGHTER'S DEFENCE OVER BABY DEATH

BILLY BOB THORNTON's ex-wife has defended the couple's babysitter daughter against allegations of child neglect after an infant died in her care.
Amanda Brumfield - Thornton's estranged 29-year-old daughter by his first spouse Melissa Gatlin - has been charged following an incident last October (08), when a one year old baby fell from a playpen and hit her head.
Brumfield, who was arrested on Friday (29May09), didn't call for an ambulance for over two hours - but Gatlin insists her daughter felt there was "no reason" to get help because the tot showed "no signs of distress".
She alleges Brumfield fell asleep with the tot - and it was only later, when she awoke to find the baby's still body, that she noticed something was terribly wrong.
Gatlin tells TMZ.com, "When you have a situation that does not indicate distress... there are no signs of distress, then there is no reason to immediately call police."
Police have ruled the tragic death a homicide after autopsy results showed the baby died from a fractured skull and a subdural hematoma due to blunt trauma.