Thursday, May 31, 2012

In Virginia, Charges move forward in Va. Beach baby’s death | Shaken Baby Syndrome


In early January, Samantha Murawski and her 4-month-old baby girl reportedly moved into a Birdneck-area apartment with Murawski’s 22-year-old boyfriend.
Five days later, the baby girl was reportedly dead.
Police reportedly identified the infant as Aubrey Hannsz, and an autopsy determined she died of abusive head trauma consistent with shaken baby syndrome, prosecutor Philip C. Hollowell said during a hearing in Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court his morning. The infant also had suffered trauma to her neck, chest, abdomen and anus, Hollowell said.
A few days later, police reportedly arrested Murawski’s boyfriend, Micah Patterson, on a charge of felony child abuse in Aubrey’s death. Judge Randall Blow today certified that charge to a Circuit Court grand jury, which will determine if there’s enough evidence to go to trial.
A grand jury earlier this month also reportedly indicted Patterson on charges of second-degree murder and object sexual penetration in Aubrey’s death. He’s scheduled for trial on those charges Aug. 8.
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If you have any questions or concerns about what can be done to help babies who have been shaken, or families of babies who have died, please call Christopher Keane and The Keane Law Firm toll-free for free consultation at (888) 592-5437 (KIDS), click on contact us here, or use the web form provided at http://www.keanelaw.com

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

In Florida, Pasco father, 28, convicted in shaken baby case | Shaken Baby Syndrome


A jury reportedly found a father guilty Friday of shaking his baby son so hard it caused brain damage in one of the worst child abuse cases the prosecutor says she has ever seen.
Jonathan Gelb, 28, reportedly faces up to 30 years in prison after a jury of four women and two men found him guilty of aggravated child abuse on his then 2-month-old son, Lukuz. He is scheduled to be sentenced June 15.
Gelb reportedly showed no emotion as he learned his fate, while the child's mother, Leann Rodriguez, wept amid a sea of embraces from her family.
Next to her sat Lukuz in a baby chair. The boy, who reportedly turns 4 this summer, also began to cry. Due to his injuries, Lukuz cannot see, walk, talk, or eat on his own. But Rodriguez said after the verdict that somehow, she hopes, he heard justice being done.
"I did this for him. He may not be able to see but he can hear what is being done. And I wanted Jonathan to see what he had done as well," Rodriguez said of having their son in the courtroom for the verdict.
Prosecutors told the jury that on Sept. 30, 2008, Rodriguez came home from work to find her son limp in Gelb's arms, barely breathing. Jurors heard Rodriguez's harrowing 911 call as a dispatcher talked her through giving her son CPR. Assistant State Attorney Eva Vergos played the emotional call again during closing arguments.
Doctors reportedly found bleeding in Lukuz's brain and broken bones in his leg. Several doctors found the baby had injuries consistent with shaken-baby syndrome. During her closing argument, Vergos questioned why Gelb never called 911.
"That's not a caring father, ladies and gentleman," Vergos said.
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If you have any questions or concerns about what can be done to help babies who have been shaken, or families of babies who have died, please call Christopher Keane and The Keane Law Firm toll-free for free consultation at (888) 592-5437 (KIDS), click on contact us here, or use the web form provided at http://www.keanelaw.com

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

In Texas, Trinity High teen shaken as a baby overcomes odds, graduated Saturday | Shaken Baby Syndrome


Trae Caster sat in the front row of the dimmed auditorium, a set of drumsticks resting in his lap.
Around him, classmates at Trinity High School hooted and hollered to mark the last day of school.
But perhaps no one had more to celebrate than Trae.
As an infant, Trae was violently shaken by a baby sitter and left with cerebral palsy, impaired vision and learning disabilities. On Saturday, the 19-year-old joined more than 600 of his classmates as he walked across the stage to collect his diploma.
"I'm not sure I really thought we would get here," said Trae's mother, Melonie Caster. "There were so many times I didn't know what would happen or where we would end up."
Trae's vision comes and goes. He walks with an uneven gait and requires assistance navigating Trinity, a sprawling, college-like campus made up of separate buildings on 54 acres.
He struggles to form words and is difficult to understand for people who do not know him.
But he also plays drums in the band, high-fives classmates in the hallway and refers to cute girls as "Fergies," in honor of his crush on the Black Eyed Peas singer.
On occasion, he is known to break spontaneously into the Wobble, a popular hip-hop dance.
"Nothing stops Trae," said Landen Oster, a friend of Trae's and drum major. "He does whatever it takes to make sure he is treated like any other student."
A difficult life
That was not always easy.
Trae was only 11 weeks old when he was shaken by a licensed caregiver.
About one-quarter of infants with shaken baby syndrome die from their injuries.
Those who survive may live in a vegetative state or have other problems, including permanent brain damage, paralysis, blindness, deafness, learning disabilities and behavioral difficulties.
Doctors said Trae would likely not survive, but they were wrong. Just after doctors turned off the ventilator, Trae took a breath. At 3, he took his first step.
Trae's caretaker never faced criminal charges, but his injuries led to the creation of Trae's Law -- legislation that extended the statue of limitations for injury to a child, disabled or elderly person from three to 10 years.
As her son grew older, Melonie Caster wanted him to stay in a special-education class because she thought he would be safer there. Friends and family persuaded her to include him in a regular classroom.
"I was terrified, but I realized I had to let go," Melonie Caster said. "I had to do what was best for Trae, and he deserved to go to school just like everyone else."
Trae began transitioning to a regular classroom in the third grade. By sixth grade, the transition was complete. But as Trae neared high school, his mother worried.
How would he get around Trinity? Would teachers understand him? Would students make fun of him?
Almost immediately, Melonie's fears were eased. Trinity -- a school that prides itself on its diverse and eclectic student body, where the football team famously performs the Haka, a Polynesian war dance before games -- proved a perfect fit.
Trae joined the band and excelled in classes, earning mostly As and Bs. This year, he traveled to South Padre Island with other seniors and attended prom, wearing black tuxedo and red vest and dancing all night.
Trinity officials say they work to do whatever necessary to place special needs students in regular classrooms. In some cases, that means offering modifications, such as more time for assignments, books with larger print or computerized tests.
Trae never missed band practices, even on sweltering August days when some students could not help but complain.
"Trae is a conqueror," assistant principal Stephanie Millar said. "If he wants to do something, he will get it done somehow, someday."
'He inspires us'
Not everyone has been so accepting. During one football game, a parent from the opposing team shouted during the band performance, "Get that freak off the field."
Band members were stunned. Some cried. Trae continued to play, never looking up once.
After the performance, another band member tried to make Trae feel better, telling him, "I don't know what you're upset about. He was talking about me. I tripped on the field."
Trae's face broke into a wide grin.
"Trae is the spirit of this school," said Richard Atkinson, a teacher's assistant who works closely with Trae. "Any time there's a celebration, Trae is right in the middle of it. People feed off of him. He inspires us."
After graduation, Trae will return to Trinity High School to attend its adult transition center, where students learn life skills, such as money management and grocery shopping. He then plans to attend business courses at Tarrant County College.
Someday, he wants to own his own video game warehouse arcade.
But first, Trae will wear his cap and gown, walk across the stage at the Fort Worth Convention Center and graduate. As usual, those in attendance will be asked to hold their applause until the end.
Melonie Caster said she will try to control herself.
But "some things," she said, "are worth breaking the rules for."
This includes information from the Star-Telegram archives.
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If you have any questions or concerns about what can be done to help babies who have been shaken, or families of babies who have died, please call Christopher Keane and The Keane Law Firm toll-free for free consultation at (888) 592-5437 (KIDS), click on contact us here, or use the web form provided at http://www.keanelaw.com


Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/05/25/3986643/trinity-high-school-student-overcomes.html#storylink=cpy

In Ohio, Annual Awareness Ride, Poker Run and Cruise | Shaken Baby Syndrome

We have an exciting event to share with all of you! The Shaken Baby Syndrome of Ohio team is working with .A.R.M. Chapter #69 for the Awareness Ride and Poker Run August 4th, 2012 in Bowling Green Ohio! Check out the awesome banner below for all the information and be sure to sign up today if you are in the area!


If you have any questions or concerns about what can be done to help babies who have been shaken, or families of babies who have died, please call Christopher Keane and The Keane Law Firm toll-free for free consultation at (888) 592-5437 (KIDS), click on contact us here, or use the web form provided at http://www.keanelaw.com


In Kansas, Olathe Dad Gets 10 Years for Baby’s Death | Shaken Baby Syndrome


Prosecutors reportedly call the January 2011 death of three-week-old Logan Snyder a clear case of Shaken Baby Syndrome.  On Monday, the baby’s father, 26-year-old Aaron Snyder was sentenced to 10-years and three months after pleading no contest to the death of his infant son.  The charge was reckless second degree murder.
Snyder’s attorney Paul Cramm reportedly says his client was innocent but decided to accept the plea deal because of his 5-year-old son Lucas.
“Aaron’s primary concern was just the risk of time away from his older boy Lucas,” Cramm said.
Snyder was facing life in prison if convicted of 1st degree murder  Under the plea deal, he could be free in seven years when his son turns 12.  It was a plea deal Snyder’s own attorney and parents told him not to take.  Defense attorney Paul Cramm says little Logan had a pre-existing brain injury from a complicated birth.
“He has a birth fracture from compression in the birth canal three weeks earlier,” Cramm said.
Defense experts reportedly say the baby had bleeding on the brain that began well before the day of his death.   But Assistant District Attorney Chris McMullin tells FOX 4 that Snyder told his own wife he shook the baby and the autopsy results reached the same conclusion.
“The injuries were consistent with shaking as the mechanism for causing the injuries,” McMullin said
Snyder’s wife Anna Grover appeared to reportedly believe in her husband’s innocence.  She asked the judge at sentencing to lift his “No contact order” so that she could hug Snyder before he was taken away to prison.  The judge granted the request.
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If you have any questions or concerns about what can be done to help babies who have been shaken, or families of babies who have died, please call Christopher Keane and The Keane Law Firm toll-free for free consultation at (888) 592-5437 (KIDS), click on contact us here, or use the web form provided at http://www.keanelaw.com


Friday, May 25, 2012

In Florida, Mother describes son's brain damage | Shaken Baby Syndrome


Leann Rodriguez reportedly found the strength Wednesday to calmly tell jurors about finding her baby nearly four years ago with limp limbs, gasping for air in the lap of his father.
But her 911 call on Sept. 30, 2008, reportedly revealed the horror of giving her then-2-month-old son, Lukuz, CPR in a desperate attempt to get him breathing. Prosecutors played Rodriguez's call as part of an effort to prove Jonathan Gelb had earlier shaken his son, causing his brain to bleed and breaking bones in his leg.
Reportedly left with serious brain damage, Lukuz, now 3, cannot see, eat without a tube, walk or talk. Gelb, 28, is reportedly on trial this week on a charge of aggravated child abuse. If convicted, he faces up to 30 years in prison. The trial is expected to last two more days.
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If you have any questions or concerns about what can be done to help babies who have been shaken, or families of babies who have died, please call Christopher Keane and The Keane Law Firm toll-free for free consultation at (888) 592-5437 (KIDS), click on contact us here, or use the web form provided at http://www.keanelaw.com

Thursday, May 24, 2012

In Ohio, Jury Finds Man Guilty in Death of Girlfriend's Baby | Shaken Baby Syndrome

A 27-year old south Fairmount man, whose nickname is "Life," was reportedly spared the death penalty today by a Hamilton County jury.  However, Loinell Dangerfield was still found guilty of murdering his girlfriend's three month old baby.

Local 12 News reporter Jeff Hirsh was reportedly at the courthouse when the verdict came in.  It only took the jury five and a half hours over two days to find Dangerfield not guilty of aggravated murder, but guilty of murder in the beating death of 3-month-old Zhimera Binford.

Dangerfield reportedly never took the witness stand. In fact, the defense called no witnesses at all. But, after the verdict, when given the chance to make a statement, Dangerfield was unapologetic, insisting he was convicted based on "false facts." Dangerfield says, "I refuse to apologize for something I didn't do."

But, Judge Ralph Winkler said he agreed with the jury.  Winkler says, "I was here for the whole trial. The evidence of his guilt on the murder and the felonious assault was overwhelming."

The prosecution literally pounded home the reported brutal nature of Binford's death, blunt force trauma, mentioned in both opening statements and closing arguments. Assistant Prosecutor Katie Pridemore says, "He lacerated her liver. He fractured her skull, and he beat her at least six times on a hard surface over and over and over again, until that baby ended up dying."

Assistant Prosecutor Katie Burroughs reportedly says, "Everybody has embedded in their mind the concept of shaken baby syndrome, and what we were trying to show to them, that as so much more than just shaken baby syndrome, the classic terminology of shaking your child."



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If you have any questions or concerns about what can be done to help babies who have been shaken, or families of babies who have died, please call Christopher Keane and The Keane Law Firm toll-free for free consultation at (888) 592-5437 (KIDS), click on contact us here, or use the web form provided at http://www.keanelaw.com


In Florida, Pasco shaken baby trial begins with mother testifying against the child's father | Shaken Baby Syndrome


Even before baby Lukuz Gelb was born, his mother already reportedly nicknamed him Lucky.  She says he was the perfect little boy. 

But in September 2008, when Lukuz was just two months old, Leann Rodriguez reportedly came home to where she lived in Port Richey and found her son wasn't breathing.  Doctors told her the boy had severe brain injuries and broken bones in his legs.  

"Worst case of shaken baby syndrome that they've seen in the state of Florida," Rodriguez was told. 

Authorities reportedly soon arrested the man they say is responsible for hurting Lukuz.  It wasn't a baby sitter or daycare worker --but the boy's own father, Jonathan Gelb.
Wednesday morning at the Pasco County courthouse in New Port Richey, testimony began in Gelb's trial.  He is reportedly charged with aggravated child abuse.
The child was in the courtroom, but he was taken home before the trial started. It's likely the jury will not see him in person.

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If you have any questions or concerns about what can be done to help babies who have been shaken, or families of babies who have died, please call Christopher Keane and The Keane Law Firm toll-free for free consultation at (888) 592-5437 (KIDS), click on contact us here, or use the web form provided at http://www.keanelaw.com



In Virginia, Former Helena Resident Apprehended for Child Abuse | Shaken Baby Syndrome

A former Helena resident reportedly faces felony child endangerment and child neglect charges for allegedly shaking a baby girl.

The girl's mother reportedly tells a local news station John Robert LaRue was extradited to Lynchburg, Virginia Wednesday.

Authorities apprehended LaRue in Pennsylvania after police stopped his vehicle for allegedly changing lanes without using a turn signal last week.

LaRue is reportedly accused of severely injuring then sixteen-month-old Juliana Thaxton while he was babysitting her in 2010.

An MRI revealed that Juliana reportedly suffered from Shaken Baby Syndrome. Juliana’s mother Joleen tells ABC 5 Juliana is unable to walk, talk or see as a result of the trauma LaRue allegedly inflicted and eats from a feeding tube.

Joleen hasn't been able to reportedly come forward until now and says even though an arrest will do nothing for her daughter's future she says it’s her calling to make parents aware and protect children.

“John LaRue’s arrest does not heal Juliana and the punishment will never fit this type of heinous crime so we’re trying now to move on and not focus on Mr. LaRue anymore and now we can move forward and prevent this from happening to other children hopefully and let the system deal with him and hopefully hold him accountable for the things he has done,” says Juliana’s mother Joleen.

LaRue reportedly faces up to 30 years in prison. Thaxton wants to reach parents, pediatricians and the public so they are made aware of the symptoms of child abuse. 

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If you have any questions or concerns about what can be done to help babies who have been shaken, or families of babies who have died, please call Christopher Keane and The Keane Law Firm toll-free for free consultation at (888) 592-5437 (KIDS), click on contact us here, or use the web form provided at http://www.keanelaw.com


In Kansas, Wichita baby hospitalized, shaken baby syndrome suspected | Shaken Baby Syndrome


A 4-month-old Wichita baby is reportedly in the hospital with bleeding on the brain.  Authorities say the injuries are consistent with shaken baby syndrome.  The baby is in serious but stable condition.
Lt. Jeff Weible with the Exploited and Missing Children's Unit reportedly says the case is under investigation.  He says the baby was taken to the hospital Sunday morning.  He says the parents reported the baby had fallen off of a bed.  During the examination, doctors found brain bleeding consistent with shaken baby syndrome.
The parents were reportedly taken in for questioning and the baby was taken into protective custody. No arrests have been made.
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If you have any questions or concerns about what can be done to help babies who have been shaken, or families of babies who have died, please call Christopher Keane and The Keane Law Firm toll-free for free consultation at (888) 592-5437 (KIDS), click on contact us here, or use the web form provided at http://www.keanelaw.com


Friday, May 18, 2012

In Alaska, Detective testifies in hearing against accused murderer | Shaken Baby Syndrome


Four-month-old Rian Orr reportedly woke up “fine and happy” for her early morning feeding on Aug. 9, 2010, according to the testimony of the lead Juneau police detective who investigated the infant’s death.
It was only after David J. Paul reportedly took the baby to the bathroom to make her a bottle, where he later admitted accidently dropping her on her head and shaking her, that Orr started to become fussy, said Det. Kim Horn.
“Jackie said the baby woke up fine and happy, and then David took the baby to the bathroom to make a bottle, and then had come back to change the diaper and the baby had been fussy from that point on,” Horn said from the stand.
She reportedly wouldn’t feed during her 9 a.m. feeding. She then began tensing up, then seizing. She was taken to Bartlett Regional Hospital around 11 a.m. and died a week later at Seattle’s Harborview Medical Center on Aug. 15.
Horn was reportedly once again called into Juneau Superior Court on Thursday to testify in the murder case against 23-year-old David Paul, who is accused of killing girlfriend Jacqueline M. Orr’s baby.
The King County Medical State Examiner in Seattle ruled Orr’s death a homicide from blunt force injury, with a soft object to the head. Doctors also found older injuries (multiple rib fractures, a femur fracture and bruising on her chest).
Prosecutors reportedly argue Paul caused the head injury by either dropping the baby, or by shaking her, and the bruises from gripping her too tightly.
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If you have any questions or concerns about what can be done to help babies who have been shaken, or families of babies who have died, please call Christopher Keane and The Keane Law Firm toll-free for free consultation at (888) 592-5437 (KIDS), click on contact us here, or use the web form provided at http://www.keanelaw.com


Thursday, May 17, 2012

In Nevada, Local Family Raises Awareness of Shaken Baby Syndrome | Shaken Baby Syndrome


 It’s Mother’s Day weekend, but instead of relaxing one local mother is working to help families who are facing the challenges of shaken baby syndrome.

Aiden Jacot laughs like any normal child, but two years ago today he was shaken by a babysitter. His father, Robert, was called to pick him up from daycare.

“I saw him sitting there on the floor, just lethargic and helpless,” Robert Jacot said. “I ran over to him and fell to my knees, and I knew right away something was terribly wrong with him.”

Aiden’s mother Bonnie reportedly said she was totally devastated. “I couldn't even comprehend how someone could do such a thing,” she said. “I still can't comprehend how somebody could do that.”

Aiden reportedly turns three this summer, but because of his traumatic brain injury he’s different from other three-year-olds. 

“He's incapable of taking care of himself,” Robert said. “We have to feed him through a g-tube in his belly button. We have to make sure that he's turned, and he has therapy every day.“

Aiden is also reportedly blind and still wears a diaper, but instead of focusing on the negative, the Jacots are using their experience to help other families facing shaken baby syndrome.

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If you have any questions or concerns about what can be done to help babies who have been shaken, or families of babies who have died, please call Christopher Keane and The Keane Law Firm toll-free for free consultation at (888) 592-5437 (KIDS), click on contact us here, or use the web form provided at http://www.keanelaw.com


Wednesday, May 16, 2012

In Illinois, Police, DCFS investigate death of baby hurt at daycare | Shaken Baby Syndrome


Hoffman Estates Police and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services are reportedly investigating the death of a 4-month-old girl who died Saturday, possibly from shaken baby syndrome.
The baby girl, Anna Belle Chung, of Mount Prospect, reportedly suffered injuries at a home-based day-care center in Hoffman Estates and died three days later, said the medical examiner’s office.
The unidentified person reportedly being investigated for possible child abuse in Chung’s death was also investigated by DCFS for unrelated child abuse allegations in May 2010 that were later determined to be unfounded, said agency spokesman Jimmie Whitelow.
The girl’s parents reportedly are not the focus of the investigation, Whitelow said.
The day-care center reportedly looks like just another single family home on Crimson Drive in Hoffman Estates. But a look through the front window makes it clear the home has been set up to be a day-care center, with small chairs and tables, play stations and toys lining the wall, cribs in the dining room. The front landing is covered with chalk drawings of trains and other images.
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If you have any questions or concerns about what can be done to help babies who have been shaken, or families of babies who have died, please call Christopher Keane and The Keane Law Firm toll-free for free consultation at (888) 592-5437 (KIDS), click on contact us here, or use the web form provided at http://www.keanelaw.com

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

In Maine, Child abuse experts: How to cope with crying | Shaken Baby Syndrome


*Excerpt taken from article published here*
The court documents describing two month-old Ethan Henderson's injuries describe a father who became overwhelmed with his screaming baby, and lost control.
The documents state that Gordon Collins-Faunce called 911 and reported that his baby was having trouble breathing. Ethan was then taken by ambulance to the hospital. Collins-Faunce originally told police that he found Ethan in his crib struggling to breathe. But over the course of that day and the next, his story changed. He eventually admitted that Ethan was crying, so he picked the baby up by his head, squeezed, and then threw him into a chair. He told police he was feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. Collins-Faunce also told police he suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome from suffering abuse as a child, and he often forgets to take his medication. Kids Free To Grow Executive Director Laurie DuPaul says cases like this are always preventable. She says parents who are feeling overwhelmed should reach out for help, and that we as a community need to start talking about these kinds of issues so that new parents don't feel like they are alone.
"Child abuse is something no one wants to talk about," DuPaul said. "I heard it recently spoken of as a dirty little secret. Everyone knows someone who has been abused or they've been abused themselves but no one wants to talk about it. It's something that needs to be talked about because it is preventable. Child abuse does not have to happen."
To Read More on this Story and to Watch the Newscast: Click Here


If you have any questions or concerns about what can be done to help babies who have been shaken, or families of babies who have died, please call Christopher Keane and The Keane Law Firm toll-free for free consultation at (888) 592-5437 (KIDS), click on contact us here, or use the web form provided at http://www.keanelaw.com


Monday, May 14, 2012

In Oklahoma, New commercials help parents deal with crying baby | Shaken Baby Syndrome


Three seconds of shaking is all it takes to end or drastically alter a baby's life.

That's the message behind a new commercial campaign by the Parent Child Center in an effort to expand its Never Shake a Baby program.

"Really, you never want to shake a baby. Three seconds is the catalyst for when a lot of damage is done," said Matthew Eber, spokesman for the Parent Child Center.

One commercial portrays a young girl expressing regret for shaking her little sister to death and the other has a father expressing similar regret over shaking his daughter. Both are set in a surreal, nightmarish backdrop.

"We wanted to show something visual and regret is a common feeling," Eber said. "A lot of times when someone shakes a baby it's during a moment of stress, someone snaps. It's 4 a.m. and the baby hasn't stopped crying. We want to get it in their heads, so when they're stressed and tired they remember that something that simple can kill a baby."

The commercial campaign is in addition to the Never Shake a Baby program the Parent Child Center offers to new families in area hospitals about what to do when babies won't stop crying.

In 2011, the Never Shake a Baby hospital visitation program was presented to 2,228 birth mothers, 1,088 fathers and 706 other people, all representing 2,249 babies.

"We partnered with the Sarkey's Foundation to do a statewide public awareness campaign to put it in the back of everyone's head to never shake a baby," Eber said.

According to the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, abusive head trauma, which includes shaken baby syndrome, is the leading cause of non-accidental child death and near death in Oklahoma.

"Every parent I know has experienced moments when they feel completely at a loss as to how to calm their crying baby. When you're exhausted and frustrated, that situation can escalate and you can overreact. It only takes three to five seconds to do irreparable harm by shaking a baby," said Desiree Doherty, PCCT executive director. "With the help of community partners, like the Sarkey's Foundation, we can educate more parents of newborns about the dangers of shaking a baby and how to prevent it. The key is to understand crying as normal infant behavior and calming yourself while trying a variety of safe-for-baby soothing techniques."

For more information and to view the commercials, go online to tulsaworld.com/3seconds

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If you have any questions or concerns about what can be done to help babies who have been shaken, or families of babies who have died, please call Christopher Keane and The Keane Law Firm toll-free for free consultation at (888) 592-5437 (KIDS), click on contact us here, or use the web form provided at http://www.keanelaw.com


Friday, May 11, 2012

In Texas, Grandmothers gather for 'Baby 101' | Shaken Baby Syndrome

Seven grandmothers gathered together for Medical Center Hospital’s inaugural “grandmother tea”, where they learned about the most recent baby feeding practices and safety information.

“Who else besides the father of the baby is a big influence in the mom’s life?” MCH nurse and lactation consultant Marla Renfro asked the class rhetorically, explaining why they were reaching out to grandmothers.

One family even sent out two generations of women, since grandmother-to-be Melody Gilbert brought along her own mother Janice Boyles.

“I want to be a support to my daughter-in-law,” Gilbert said.

She said her grandson Grey is due May 29th.

While Gilbert said she raised three children, things have changed and she wanted the most up-to-date information.

Boyles said that when she raised Gilbert she wrapped her loosely in a baby blanket, while Gilbert said she remembered swaddling, or snugly wrapping a baby, being popular when she was having children.

“That’s something new for me to learn,” Boyles said.

The sessions started off talking about the benefits of breast feeding, and while that’s something only a mother can do, Renfro and her colleague Candy Powell explained that grandmothers could provide accurate breastfeeding information to new mothers.

And while Renfro mentioned the swaddling trend, she said that the most recent research said that skin-to-skin contact between the mother and the baby is most beneficial.

Powell and Renfro also discussed Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

SIDS, sometimes called “crib death”, is the unexplained death of an apparently healthy baby typically while he or she is asleep, according to the Mayo Clinic website.

Parents can reduce risks by placing the baby on his or her back on a firm crib mattress that’s covered by a fitted sheet, according to the Mayo Clinic.

“(Moms) have issues because grandma wants to put the baby on the tummy,” Powell said, explaining that sometimes grandmothers aren’t aware of the risks of SIDS.

Additionally, they touched on Shaken Baby Syndrome and provided grandmothers with informational pamphlets on car seats and basic baby safety.



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If you have any questions or concerns about what can be done to help babies who have been shaken, or families of babies who have died, please call Christopher Keane and The Keane Law Firm toll-free for free consultation at (888) 592-5437 (KIDS), click on contact us here, or use the web form provided at http://www.keanelaw.com


Thursday, May 10, 2012

In Arizona, Indictment in shaken-baby case | Shaken Baby Syndrome


A grand jury reportedly indicted 23-year-old Kevin Lester Reed on Thursday on one count of child abuse after he was arrested on charges of shaking his 20-day-old son last week.
The child reportedly suffered internal bleeding in his head as a result of "shaken baby syndrome," according to a police report. The baby stopped breathing and needed a tube for oxygen.
It was Reed's first day home alone after the boy's mother went back to work, according to a police report. He also was watching his 17-month-old son.
An officer was reportedly called to the hospital by medical personnel after the infant stopped breathing in the emergency department. The doctor immediately diagnosed the child with shaken baby syndrome.
"(The doctor) stated there is no doubt in his mind that (the boy) was shaken violently," a police report stated.
A police officer reportedly sent the mother in with the baby and started interviewing Reed. At first, he maintained that the child had stopped breathing at home and he had shaken the baby in a circle to try and put air into the lungs. The officer told Reed that such a motion would not have caused the type of injuries his son had sustained.
Under pressure, Reed reportedly admitted that he had gotten frustrated with the child's crying and jerked him back and forth twice in anger.
"I got pissed off because they were both crying and wanted my attention," Reed reportedly told an investigate
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