In Utah, Draper man charged in baby son's death | Shaken Baby Syndrome

A Draper man has reportedly been charged with murder in the death of his 1-month-old son.

Mijail Alejandro Russell-Torres also was reportedly charged Friday in 3rd District Court with two counts of second-degree felony child abuse.

Police say they responded Aug. 24 to reports that a 1-month-old baby had reportedly drowned while being bathed by the father.

Emergency crews reportedly found the baby in cardiac and respiratory arrest, and took the child to Primary Children's Medical Center in critical condition.

Investigators reportedly say the baby had injuries consistent with shaken baby syndrome.

The child died Aug. 26.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports the 24-year-old Russell-Torres admitted to police that he violently shook the baby back and forth for a minute or two after he became frustrated with the toddler's crying.

To Read More on this Story: 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

In Utah, Draper father arrested in shaking death of 1-month-old son | Shaken Baby Syndrome

A father who initially reportedly told police Friday his baby nearly drowned in a bathtub was arrested after the boy died on Sunday.

Mijail Alejandro Russell-Torres, 24, was reportedly booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of aggravated murder for allegedly shaking the boy violently.

Russell-Torres called 911 Friday afternoon, claiming his 1-month-old son had drowned while he was bathing him in his Draper home near 13000 S. Pinnacle Way. "He was calm when he told me the story and showed no emotion," a responding officer wrote in a jail report.

The baby was reportedly not breathing when he was transported by medical helicopter to Primary Children's Medical Center.

During an investigation, doctors at the hospital told Draper police that the baby was showing signs of shaken-baby syndrome, including a head injury, the report states. Doctors said the baby showed no signs of drowning.

When reportedly asked about the doctors' findings, Russell-Torres admitted holding the baby and violently shaking him forward and backward, according to the report. He allegedly told police he realized he hurt the baby after it started showing other signs of illness, which is when he gave the baby a bath. It wasn't until the baby turned cold and stopped breathing that Russell-Torres called 911, the report states.

Shaken-baby syndrome is a term used to describe the trauma experienced by an infant after being severely shaken. There is rarely any visible injuries, but spinal-cord injuries, permanent brain damage and death are often the result of the crying-induced child abuse.

To Read More on this Story: 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

In Utah, Abused girl defies odds and graduates with classmates | Shaken Baby Syndrome

There were 339 students who made up the class of 2012 at Provo High School's graduation. On a cold January night 15 years ago, no one thought Amanda Peterson would reportedly be one of them.

KSL News reported the story that winter night: a child left critically injured, her abuser on the run. The man was later captured and convicted, but Amanda will always suffer because of his crime.

"She'll never be able to live a normal life, and possibly never be able to walk," said Amanda's mother, Susan Rice, as she recalled her conversations with doctors back in 1997.

Amanda, then just 3 years old, would endure three months of hospitalization after her abuse.

"They said it was shaken baby syndrome, and they were going to put an all points bulletin out for Casey Perkins, who hurt her," Rice explained.

Amanda had been shaken so violently her brain resembled having been dropped from a six-story building. Perkins would serve eight years in prison.

Still, facing temporary blindness along with physical and mental disability, Amanda persevered, easily surpassing even the brightest of expectations by doctors. On graduation night, she was no different from any other teenager.

Before the ceremony, Amanda put on her cap and her gown, and even a new shade of lipstick. Why the bright pink? Well, it's very much what you would expect in an answer from your typical 18 year old.

"Celebrities wear it, so I want to wear it too; because it looks pretty," Amanda said.

Like so many other moms on their child's graduation day, Rice could barely hold back the tears. "Words can't tell how happy I am," she said.

And that's really the lesson here: No one predicted Amanda would make it to this point, no one thought she could do it, but that's just fine by her. She plans to keep proving people wrong.

"I'm just so proud of the things she has done and how far she's come, and how she's never given up," Rice said.

Amanda will begin vocational training now that she's officially a high school graduate, and hopes to land a job after she wraps up her next round of classwork.

To Read More on this Story: 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