Unfortunately, one of the most common forms of child abuse is the shaking of infants. Frequently, inexperienced caretakers, like baby-sitters and family members, or even young parents, become overwhelmed with the task of caring for the child. The caretaker may become extremely tired and angry, usually about the baby's crying. The caretaker may shake the child violently in an effort to force the baby to stop crying. The violent shaking motion injures the child's neck and head.
The infant may lose consciousness, even suffering from brain damage. Babies have large heads and skulls in relation to their body size, but they are still developing. An infant's skull remains somewhat "soft" to allow for the comfortable expansion of the child's head. The shaking can break blood vessels in the child's head, causing bleeding and swelling in the skull. Ultimately, the child's brain can hemorrhage from the shaking. If that occurs, serious brain damage may result and the infant is at risk of dying.
Medical personnel may be tipped off by a shaken baby's symptoms or an injury that just does not add up. The caregiver may act as though he is not aware that the child is injured or he may have developed an unlikely cover up story. The key indicator for this type of child abuse crime is head trauma.
Shaken Baby Syndrome was first recognized in the 1970s and affects only babies who have suffered that particular form of child abuse. Victims may show many symptoms, such as vomiting, failure to thrive, dilated pupils, and even a larger-than-normal head. The baby may seem cranky or it may not breathe normally. Broken bones on the torso, such as the ribs or parts of the infant's back, are also key signs that a baby is being abused in this manner. The person perpetrating the child abuse is more likely to be male.
Shaken Baby Syndrome results in the death of about one-third of the infants who experience it; another full third suffer long-term effects as a result of the child abuse. They may have seizures as adults, learning or speech disabilities, cerebral palsy, and problems with sight.
If you have been accused of a crime anywhere in the state of Florida, contact the statewide criminal defense team at Musca Law.
