In Virginia, Community Raises Funds for Child's Tombstone | Shaken Baby Syndrome

*This is an excerpt from an article posted here*

Car Shows For Fun from Page county hosted a car show and auction for a tombstone for a child with shaken baby syndrome in Stanley Saturday night.

People from Page County participated in the car show, Chinese auction and cake wheel. Members of the community donated cakes and prices for the event.

Brandi Flick a mother of the child remembers her daughter before the accident.

"She was happy. She was a good baby. Much better than my first. She didn't cry or nothing. She was a good baby," Flick said.

The mother of two said a babysitter shook her five-month-old in February 2011. Her baby, Alyssa, was airlifted to the University of Virginia Hospital.

"It was hard. It was heartbreaking," she said.

Flick said Alyssa spent two months at the hospital. She said the baby had a feeding tube and seizures when she returned home.

"She should have been smiling, running and laughing but she couldn't do none of that," Flick said.

Alyssa died on July 5, 2012. This Saturday's fundraiser was aimed to help for a Stem Cell therapy. However, since she passed away it is now for a tombstone.

"It wouldn't have been the last gift I expected to give to her," Flick said.

Melissa Cubbage, a volunteer with Car Shows for Fun from Page County said they help neighbors struggling.

"The last thing they need to be worried about is oh my God how am I gonna pay for this. So the little bit we can do is to help to raise money since they're in our community. They're our family, they are our friends," she said.

Cubbage said they did not have a set goal for the fundraiser.

Flick said the tombstone costs about 10,000. They hope they could raise $3,500 dollars with the event.

Felicia Anderson from Stanley is one of the community members chipping in for the cause. She said she puts herself in Flick's shoes.

" It's absolutely a great cause. I couldn't imagine having to go through it. I'm a parent of a 2-year-old myself and i couldn't imagine being here without her," Anderson said.

As of 11 p.m. on Saturday organizers said they had raised $1,500 dollars.

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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 Mississippi, State Supreme Court declines to hear appeal of Jackson County woman convicted of killing baby | Shaken Baby Syndrome

The Mississippi Supreme Court has reportedly declined to hear an appeal from a Jackson County woman convicted of murder in the death of a child left in her care.

Court records show Amy Danielle Wilkerson reportedly pleaded guilty in 2007 to murder in the death of 8-week-old Tristan Chinn. Prosecutors say the baby was shaken to death.

Wilkerson was reportedly sentenced to life in prison.

Wilkerson reportedly claimed her guilty plea was involuntary and wanted to go back to Jackson County Circuit Court to prove it.

The state Court of Appeals last year reportedly said Wilkerson was thoroughly advised of the consequences of her guilty plea and nothing her attorney did rendered the plea involuntary.

According to court records, the boy's father reportedly dropped him off at Wilkerson's home on July 18, 2005. Wilkerson later called 911 and said the boy had stopped breathing.

Investigators reportedly started questioning Wilkerson after the boy's injuries turned out to be consistent with that of other victims of 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

In Virginia,York Woman Pleads Guilty to Child Neglect in Infant Death | Shaken Baby Syndrome

A York County woman reportedly pleaded guilty Thursday in York-Poquoson Circuit Court to one count of child abuse and neglect connected to the death of her infant son in November.

Sabrina A. Battad, 20, was initially charged with first-degree murder when she was arrested Nov. 18, but the charge was reduced to second-degree murder before it was finally reduced to child neglect.

At Thursday’s hearing, York-Poquoson Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Donna Maw said Battad told authorities she was home alone on the morning of Nov. 18 when her son, Curtis, became fussy. Battad said that when the baby refused to take milk, she bounced and patted the child on her lap until he fell asleep, then placed him in his crib. She told investigators the baby shook a little as she laid him down on his stomach, but she said that was normal. When she thought she heard a cry, she went to check on him and found her baby was not breathing.

After further investigation, authorities reportedly heard Battad was easily frustrated and handled her baby roughly. When questioned again, Battad said the baby was having a temper tantrum, and then began to cry as she told authorities she had shaken the baby. She said he cried loudly, his face turned red and she thought he might not be breathing, but she placed him in his crib. She estimated 10 to 15 minutes passed before she checked on him again, at which time she found he wasn’t breathing and called her mother for help. Her mother advised calling 911.

Maw reportedly said the amount of time Battad allowed to lapse between her first hint the baby wasn’t breathing and her call to 911 constituted child neglect. An autopsy performed by the medical examiner showed no signs of shaken baby syndrome, but a Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters pediatric expert wrote that minutes could have made a difference in saving the child’s life, and “a prudent parent would have called.”

Citing the tragic nature of the case, Judge Richard AtLee denied the defense’s request for bond. Battad will be sentenced Sept. 6.

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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 Illinois, Father Charged In Death of 4-Month-Old

Police on Friday night reportedly announced charges against the father of a 4-month-old girl who was apparently shaken to death.

Jonathan Ortiz, 23, has reportedly been charged with murder after reports from the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office and Advocate Hope Children’s Hospital determined that his daughter died from injuries sustained from child abuse, said South Chicago Heights Police Chief Bill Joyce.

Ortiz is reportedly scheduled to appear in bond court on Saturday, Joyce said.

Sophia Ortiz had reportedly been at a home in the 0-100 block of West 31st Street in South Chicago Heights on Monday before she was brought to the hospital, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

Police reportedly responded about 3 a.m. after the girl’s father called 911, saying the baby wasn’t breathing, Joyce said. The baby had been with her father at his home for approved visitation. The girl’s mother, who lives in Steger and has custody of the child, was not with them.

Responding paramedics were reportedly not able to detect the infant’s pulse and performed CPR all the way to St. James Hospital and Health Centers, Joyce said.

Staff there “did a remarkable job” and were able to get a pulse again, Joyce said, but she needed a respirator and was airlifted about two hours later to Advocate Hope Children’s Hospital at Christ Hospital.

Sophia, of the 0-100 block of 31st Street in Steger, was reportedly pronounced dead there at 8:55 p.m. on Tuesday, according to the medical examiner’s office.

An autopsy Wednesday reportedly found that the girl suffered multiple injuries from child abuse and her death has been ruled a homicide, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Her injuries were reportedly consistent with shaken baby syndrome, Joyce said.

“There’s absolutely nothing that a beautiful 4-month-old baby girl could do that could merit any kind of abuse, not even abuse to this level,” the police chief said Wednesday night.

DCFS is reputedly investigating an allegation of death by abuse against the child’s father, agency spokesman Kendall Marlowe said. DCFS has had no previous investigations involving the girl’s father and he had no other children in his care, Marlowe 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

In Louisiana, Marrero dad indicted in death of his 3-month-old daughter | Shaken Baby Syndrome

A Jefferson Parish grand jury reportedly indicted a Marrero man Thursday in the death of his 3-month-old daughter, who died from what authorities say was "shaken baby syndrome." Raymond Riego Jr., 39, was charged with second-degree murder, accused in the Jan. 30 death of Madison Nicole Hughes.

The incident reportedly happened Jan. 26 or Jan. 27, inside an Annette Drive home belonging to her mother's family. Riego is originally from Buras but apparently was residing at the home, authorities have said.

The infant's maternal family reportedly told the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office she slept with Riego overnight. But early on Jan. 27, a relative who went into Riego's bedroom noticed the infant "was limp, gasping for air," Detective Travis Eserman testified during a March 12 hearing in the 24th Judicial District Court.

She reportedly was later declared brain dead, caused by "unaccidental trauma," Eserman testified. The autopsy confirmed "closed head trauma consistent with shaken baby syndrome," he testified.

Riego reportedly was initially booked with second-degree cruelty to a juvenile, then booked with an additional murder charge after Madison died. The Jefferson Parish district attorney's office declined to pursue the cruelty charge, "because that's encompassed in the murder charge," Assistant District Attorney Sunny Funk said.

Riego reportedly admitted he shook the baby, but only after the autopsy, Eserman testified. "He told us he knew we wound find something at autopsy," Eserman testified. "He knew that he caused it."

Riego is held in the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in lieu of a $1 million bond, Funk said. His case has been assigned to Judge Hans Liljeberg's court, records show. The case record does not reflect whether he has an attorney. His arraignment is expected to be Friday.

Second-degree murder reportedly carries a mandatory life sentence with no probation, parole or suspended sentence.

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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 New York, Chemung County woman accused of shaking baby, who later died | Shaken Baby Syndrome

A Chemung County woman is reportedly accused of shaking her 16-month-old boy to death over the weekend.

Nicole M. Freeman, 27, of Wyncoop Creek Road, Van Etten, had reportedly been charged felony reckless assault of a child after the incident Friday, troopers said.

The baby, Jason Shappee, was reportedly pronounced dead at a Danville, Pa. medical center Saturday morning.

Freeman is reportedly accused of causing a fatal brain injury by shaking her son. She is being held at the Chemung County Jail on $50,000 cash or $100,000 bond. The district attorney's office is reviewing the case and will likely add additional charges in light of the baby's death, troopers 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

In New York, Mother gets 10 years for shaking baby to death | Shaken Baby Syndrome

A Far Rockaway mother was reportedly sentenced to 10 years in prison for violently shaking her 7-month-old daughter, who later died of the injuries she sustained, District Attorney Richard Brown said.

According to Brown, Nyemah Nickens, 21, repeatedly shook her crying daughter Nyla Nickens while reportedly  at her boyfriend’s house until the infant stopped crying. Around 5 a.m. the next morning, Brown said, Nickens heard her daughter make a crying sound and was in an abnormal condition.

Upon visiting the hospital, it was reportedly determined that the infant suffered a serious brain injury, Brown said. Though the baby underwent a procedure to relieve pressure on her skull, Brown said she succumbed to her injury four days later, which was consistent with the non-accidental trauma of Shaken Baby Syndrome.

“For those who do not believe that shaking a baby can cause serious and irreparable injury or even death, this case, and the defendant’s confession, is a grim reminder that caretakers and parents can and do shake children to death,” Brown said.

Nickens reportedly pleaded guilty last month to first-degree assault and second-degree manslaughter.

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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, Largo man guilty of murdering baby son | Shaken Baby Syndrome

A jury on Thursday reportedly found Michael L. Giovo Jr. guilty of first-degree murder in the death of his 4-month-old son. He was automatically sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Skyler Giovo died in late 2008. Authorities reportedly say he was the victim of shaken-baby syndrome.

Giovo of Largo has reportedly insisted he did nothing to hurt his son. The baby must have died, Giovo told police, because he fell off a couch on Thanksgiving night. Giovo's fiancee was asleep that Thanksgiving night when the shaking occurred.

The baby reportedly began twitching the next morning, so the couple took him to a hospital. Days later, he was removed from life support.

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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