In Virginia, Mom in court for baby's death | Shaken Baby Syndrome

Two years after a baby girl died in Virginia Beach, a mother charged with her death appears in court for a preliminary hearing.

Julie Calahan, 23, moved to Arkansas after police say her 11-month-old daughter La Keira died of shaken baby syndrome. 

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 Washington, Shaken baby case delayed in Benton County Superior Court | Shaken Baby Syndrome

The lawyer for a nanny reportedly charged in the death of a Richland toddler said Tuesday that his client will be prejudiced if forced to go to trial this year because the victim's mother is pregnant.

Scott Johnson reportedly asked for a trial delay on behalf of client Kelli Anne Jacobsen, citing a number of issues with the manslaughter case.

His expert in shaken baby syndrome reportedly won't be available to testify until November and Dr. Daniel Selove, the forensic pathologist, is out of the country at the end of the year.

Jacobsen, 27, was the nanny for Ryder Morrison, a 1-year-old boy who died June 22. She is accused of causing a fatal head injury to the boy while watching him at his Richland home.

Ryder's death came a day after his first birthday.

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

Read more here: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/05/09/2515087/shaken-baby-case-delayed-in-benton.html#storylink=cpy

May Organization Spotlight | Shaken Baby Prevention, Inc | with Catherine Sanders

Each month we like to bring light to the amazing organizations around the country that are doing amazing things on a local or national level.

Today we have a very inspirational story to share with you!  I recently had the pleasure to come into contact with Catherine Sanders.  Catherine is the mother to Shaken Baby Syndrome Survivor Ryan Mac Sanders.  Ryan, born in August 1992, he was born a happy healthy little boy with such a bright future ahead.  Sadly in October 1992, was shaken, leaving him with life altering injuries.  

Serving barely 18 months in jail the perpetrator was able to walk free and back to his so called normal life while this precious little boy would be impacted by his injuries for the rest of his life.


Throughout the journey of SBS, one of the number one factors the families witness is how much they learn in the first years of the incident, and the many following.  Catherine shares with us, the greatest inspiration she has learned is that Ryan is a blessing even though he is so challenged and it could have been worse.  One of the most helpful tools for healing, Catherine has learned therapy and psychological assistance help to ease one's heart when you can not even fathom the vicious act committed against your child.


Catherine also finds that she will focus her attention on something positive, possibly exercise, dealing with the emotional toll that is even more difficult after 19 years than when Ryan was a baby or toddler.  A goal set forth for Ryan  is happiness, safety and as much independence as possible.


In January 2005, Catherine set out to make those dreams and goals become a reality, by founding Shaken Baby Prevention Inc.  

Shaken Baby Prevention, Inc. develops, evaluates and implements services for shaken baby syndrome awareness and prevention, education, victim/victim family support.  These services are aimed at educating the public about SBS, increase support for families and provide information to ensure victims’ rights in the criminal justice system.  Through these services we strive to foster dignity, respect, compassion and fair treatment for the victims and victim families.


Though life is not what it once was, Catherine has found a common ground for her and Ryan to have a life filled with love for all those surrounding them.  The inspiration Catherine would like to provide for anyone whose lives have been changed by Shaken Baby Syndrome, Nobody can predict what our survivors are capable.  The brain is always changing, you don't need all your brain cells to succeed.  Love does heal and stress slows down the process.


Thank you Catherine for sharing your story with all of us! To learn more about Catherine, Ryan, and Shaken Baby Prevention Inc. Please visit: http://www.sbsprevention.com

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, Shaken baby case: 'This isn't my baby' | Shaken Baby Syndrome

 On the witness stand Wednesday, Melissa and Rudy Delgado reportedly recounted the day, when they realized something was wrong with their 8-month-old son, Xavier.

It was something they had experienced reportedly several months before, when the baby was rushed to the hospital after becoming unresponsive while at a baby sitter’s house.

That day – Sept. 24, 2009 – things looked worse, though.

“I knew there was something really wrong with him when I seen him in September,” Rudy Delgado testified. “I remember standing back in September, like, ‘This isn’t my baby.’”

Prosecutors and defense attorneys reportedly agree on one thing: Xavier, who would have turned 3 in January, suffered from bleeding on the brain while in the care of his baby sitter, Patti J. Mock.

What they don’t agree on is how the baby was injured.

The Delgados were the first to testify at Mock’s trial. The 64-year-old Rock Falls woman is charged with five counts of first-degree murder in the baby’s death.

Prosecutors say Mock shook Xavier violently, causing his head to hit something.

In opening arguments, Whiteside County Assistant State’s Attorney Pat Liston told jurors that the pathologist who performed the autopsy concluded the baby died from “blunt force head trauma caused by abuse.”
A pediatric doctor from the University of Illinois Chicago Hospital determined that the baby was “shaken so hard” he suffered a fatal injury, Liston told jurors.


Not so, defense attorney Jim Mertes told jurors. “This is a false case of blame to explain a tragedy” he said, adding that it appears the boy had a medical condition that was undiagnosed.
According to Melissa Delgado’s testimony:
She dropped off Xavier at Mock’s home just before 8 a.m. Sept. 24. Xavier, whom Mock had cared for for about 3 weeks, seemed fine that morning and that day before.


Around noon, Mock called and said that Xavier had reportedly “projectile vomited” on her and that “nothing like this has ever happened to me before.” Mock called 911 and the Delgados raced to meet them at CGH Medical Center.
The baby was airlifted to a Rockford hospital, where doctors performed emergency surgery to “get a blood clot out of his head.” After 4 days in the hospital, they said “there was nothing they could do” and that the best-case scenario was that he would be on life support and “be a vegetable,” she testified.


“We didn’t want that for him, so we took him off life support,” she said through tears. “He lasted 33 hours and passed away on the 29th at 9:29 p.m.”


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 Nebraska, Miss Star City Gives Back to Developmental Play Group | Shaken Baby Syndrome

It's Miss Star City's way of giving back and inspiring young girls in Lincoln.

Three-year-old Olivia and five-year-old Alexis, both princesses and traumatic brain injury survivors.

Tiffany Verzal is Alexis' mother. She says, "She was a victim of shaken baby syndrome."

Michelle Grieser is Olivia's mom. She says, "She suffered respiratory distress and then cardiac arrest twice, which was ultimately caused by the para-influenza."

Miss Star City Katrina Poppert threw the princess party for the 6-month to five-year-old developmental play group, which is for kids with needs ranging from ADHD, autism, down syndrome, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injuries and visual impairments. The group meets almost every week throughout the year to give kids and families a place to have fun, get support in a safe, interactive environment.

Katrina understands what many of these kids are going through, she's a traumatic brain injury survivor herself. Poppert tells 10/11 the injury happened her senior year of high school when she was competing in diving.

She says, "Two weeks before the state competition, I slipped and fell on the locker room floor at Devany, hit my head on a wooden bench and then the concrete floor and blacked out. I lost a lot of memory, I did a lot of speech therapy, as well as balance, so I was at Madonna for about six months doing outpatient work."

On top of that, Katrina had eight back surgeries for injuries from gymnastics.

Parents say having the girls and other kids see Katrina's success means they can do it too.

Tiffany Verzal says, "To come out and show these kids you can overcome disabilities, you can be a part of the community and that you can give back. I just love being able to see Alexis interact with her and be able to say here's a great role model to you, this is someone you can grow up to be like."

Michelle Grieser adds, "What's inspiring to me is not just her story, but the young woman she's become and so I can look at Kati and say, bad things can happen to absolutely wonderful people and they can be survivors and their lives can turn out to be fantastic beyond our imagination."

Katrina just wants to give these kids a chance to shine.

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 Kansas, How shaking a baby traumatizes an infants brain | Shaken Baby Syndrome

According to one national study reportedly 1,300 babies across the country are injured or killed each year from shaken baby syndrome.  All it takes is a second of violent shaking for a child to be injured, or even killed.

One Joplin doctor reportedly says the preventable act of violence against babies occurs so often because many do not know the consequences of shaking a baby.

An emergency room doctor at Freeman Hospital reportedly says he has seen one baby too many with shaken baby syndrome.

Dr. Sam Lightsey reportedly says he's seen several cases of shaken baby syndrome (SBS) and explains exactly what happens when a baby is shaken:

"What the injury is, there is a movement and that's why they call it shaken baby, and with that movement, with the give and take the brain moves at different speeds and what happens is parts of the brain move one direction and parts of it move the other way and that's a sheer, and that sheering allows for bleeding in the brain and what that does is cause swelling in the brain and that swelling is what is ultimately lethal if it swells too much and there is too much damage then that's what can kill the child."

If the child reportedly survives the trauma they still could face problems ranging from mental retardation, learning disorders, blindness or seizures.

To help parents and caregivers understand the dangers of shaking a baby a the Alliance of Southwest Missouri is providing opportunities to help prevent this from happening to any child.  They offer free parenting classes to the public that teach simple practical tips caregivers and parents can use to sooth and calm a baby.

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 Massachusetts, Lynn dad gets 9 to 12 years for shaking baby | Shaken Baby Syndrome

Superior Court Judge Howard Whitehead sentenced a Lynn man to nine to 12 years in state prison Tuesday morning after the defendant was convicted Monday of violently shaking his then-infant baby during an incident in July 2009.

"As of this moment, the defendant has never shown any remorse for what he did," Assistant District Attorney Kate MacDougall said during the hearing. "It's hard to imagine a more vulnerable victim and a more sacred relationship to be violated."

Whitehead imposed the sentence after hearing MacDougall's argument that Jose Aquino, 29, "violently shook" his then 2-month-old daughter Elliany for what doctors testified had to be a minimum of one minute. The abuse caused serious and permanent brain injuries and vision damage, and a portion of the child's skull had to be removed to relieve swelling.


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