Manhattan Infant On Life Support, Suspected Victim Of Shaken Baby Syndrome

September 30, 2020October 5, 2020 ~ Scott Juceam ~ Leave a comment

A 3-month-old infant was on life support after he was found unconscious in his mom’s NYCHA apartment on the Lower East Side, the suspected victim of shaken baby syndrome, police sources said Tuesday.

The 30-year-old boyfriend of the infant’s mom was baby-sitting the boy Monday. When the mother returned to her apartment in the Vladeck Houses on Water St. about 8:15 p.m., she found the infant unconscious and called 911.

Medics rushed the baby to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell, where he was listed in critical condition. Investigators suspect he suffered shaken baby syndrome, sources said.

The boyfriend was in custody and was still being questioned Tuesday night, sources said.

“A lot of police and EMTs ran into the apartment,” building tenant Luis Ortiz, 22, told the Daily News.

“A female EMT came out with the baby in her arms. It was a little tiny baby. It didn’t look like it was moving. They put oxygen on it to bring it back. Then the guy ran out with them to the hospital.”

A female tenant who did not want to give her name described the family as having moved into the building “with all their stuff in trash bags from a shelter.”

“All kinds of people were in and out of the apartment,” she said, alleging there was drug dealing and marijuana smoking in the hallway. She also charged she heard “screaming of the children from the beatings.”

The neighbor said besides the infant, a young girl and a young boy also lived in the apartment.[More New York] NYPD vehicle strikes pedestrian in the Bronx, critically injuring her »

A email requesting comment from the Administration from Children’s Services was not immediately returned Tuesday night.

This article was originally published by NYDailyNews.com.

Scott Juceam is one of the leading advocates against Shaken Baby Syndrome. Scott’s life changed when his daughter Hannah was shaken to death by her nanny in 2006. Since then, Scott has dedicated his life to preventing Shaken Baby Syndrome and child abuse.

To learn more about me, please visit my website at www.ScottJuceam.com or you can click here.

Documents Sought In Baby’s Death

September 18, 2020 ~ Scott Juceam ~ Leave a comment

A judge is considering a subpoena for documents in the death of a two-month old infant in July.

Michael Dawson is accused in the death of his son, Gannon, on July 23.

Dawson’s attorney has subpoenaed the Washington County Children’s Services for documents relating to the child’s condition shortly before his death.

But a representative of the children’s services agency said in court Thursday those documents are confidential and could only be provided under certain exemptions.

Judge Mark Karenyi is to consider whether the documents can be released to Dawson’s attorney, and whether they will only be allowed to be viewed in private.

A Marietta man accused of killing his 2-month-old son by shaking him is scheduled to go on trial in October in Washington County Common Pleas Court.

A grand jury indicted Michael A. Dawson Jr., 31, on murder and endangering-children charges on Aug. 5, following his arrest by Washington County authorities on July 26.

According to online court records, he pleaded not guilty during a hearing in Common Pleas Court on Aug. 6 and a trial was scheduled for Oct. 7.

Dawson’s son, Gannon, died on July 26 at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, where he was taken after being treated at Marietta Memorial Hospital. The baby suffered a skull fracture; a broken collar bone that was already healing; seven to eight broken or fractured ribs in various stages of healing; and new and old hemorrhages that were consistent with shaken baby syndrome, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office said.

Dawson remains in the Washington County Jail on a $500,000 bond.

A Marietta man remains jailed on a murder charge after authorities said his 2-month-old baby died Sunday at a Columbus hospital of injuries apparently caused by his dad shaking him.

Washington County sheriff’s deputies arrested Michael A. Dawson, 31, on Sunday, and he was arraigned Monday morning in Marietta Municipal Court. A judge set his bond at $500,000 and scheduled a preliminary hearing for 1 p.m. on Aug. 5.

Deputies were called to 101 Longacre St., Marietta, on Thursday to investigate a report of a 2-month-old baby not breathing.

The baby, Gannon Dawson, was taken to Marietta Memorial Hospital and then flown to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, authorities said.

According to a sheriff’s office news release, deputies were told that Michael Dawson came home about 8 a.m. after working 13 consecutive days. The baby’s mother, Megan Wiggins, was asleep, and Dawson said that the baby had colic.

Dawson told investigators he picked up the baby and began feeding him. Soon after, the baby began vomiting and having trouble breathing. That’s when he said he woke up Wiggins and told her to call 911 while he started giving the baby CPR.

After the baby was taken to Marietta Memorial, the sheriff’s office said hospital employees were “highly” concerned that the baby had been abused, noting that Dawson’s account of what happened was not consistent with the baby’s injuries, which included bruising under or around his chin.

After the baby was taken to Nationwide Children’s, the sheriff’s office said detectives received notification of a skull fracture; a broken collar bone that was already healing; seven to eight broken or fractured ribs in various stages of healing; and new and old hemorrhages that were consistent with shaken baby syndrome. Liver damage and bruising to the bowels were also reported.

The sheriff’s office said detectives interviewed Dawson and Wiggins at the hospital in Columbus, and they agreed that the baby had not been dropped or been injured in a car accident. They also said the baby had not been left in the care of anyone else.

Wiggins also confirmed to detectives that the baby did not have any medical problems at birth.

Meanwhile, Dawson, according to the sheriff’s office, told detectives several times that he “never did anything to Gannon intentionally or just to be mean to him” and that he did not do anything intentionally to hurt his son.

This article was originally published by WTAP.

To learn more about me, please visit my website at www.ScottJuceam.com or you can click here.

Woman Arrested In Connection To Infant’s Death

September 10, 2020September 18, 2020 ~ Scott Juceam ~ Leave a comment

A Hillsborough County woman faces charges of first-degree murder after autopsy results showed a two-month-old child left in her care died of injuries consistent with Shaken Baby Syndrome, deputies said.

The criminal investigation began in April 2019, when physicians from St. Joesph’s Hospital notified deputies of the baby’s injuries, which left the child paralyzed, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. The child remained hospitalized until dying on March 20.

A child abuse investigation was launched into Brienna Craig, which wrapped up Wednesday and led to her arrest. The Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the child’s cause of death as a homicide.

It’s unclear if Craig is the mother of the child.

“This is absolutely tragic and our anger toward Craig is immeasurable,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister in a statement. “The thought of an innocent child suffering at the hands of a grown adult is horrifying and unthinkable. Although nothing will bring this child back, we will ensure Brienna Craig is punished for her evil actions.”

This article was originally published by the TampBayTimes.com.

To learn more about me, please visit my website at www.ScottJuceam.com or you can click here.

Child On Life Support

August 31, 2020September 18, 2020 ~ Scott Juceam ~ Leave a comment

A five-week-old child is on life support after suffering from Shaken Baby Syndrome allegedly under the hands of his father.

Police charged 25-year-old Gilberto Eusebio Sanchez with two counts of injury to a child. Authorities say they received a call from a local hospital reporting the case. The child was transported to Driscoll Hospital in Corpus Christi.

According to medical staff, the 5-week-old had signs of physical abuse consistent with shaken baby syndrome.

This article was originally published by FoxSouthTexas.

To learn more about me, please visit my website at www.ScottJuceam.com or you can click here.

Elko Man Brought Up On Murder Charges

August 21, 2020 ~ Scott Juceam ~ Leave a comment

ELKO – An Elko man accused in the death of an infant in May was bound over to district court Thursday on open murder

He was charged with open murder in the death of a 7-month-old male and child abuse or neglect of a 4-year-old boy.

Police said O’Dell, who is unrelated to the children, was caring for them when he called 911 to report the infant was not breathing.

The baby was flown to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City where he died two days later.

O’Dell was arrested on May 12 and booked in to Elko County Jail. He remains in custody.

According to court documents filed on May 14, O’Dell was watching the children while their mother worked out of town. He told police he left the baby alone and then found hi not breathing.

He said he tried to resuscitate the baby by splashing cold water in the shower, but dropped the baby from a height of about 12-18 inches as he was turning the water on.

Medical staff at Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital said the baby had multiple skull fractures indicative of “shaken baby syndrome.”

In talking with the police at the hospital, O’Dell reportedly admitted to striking the infant on the head out of frustration. He also admitted to spanking the older child for having trash under his bed.

At Primary Children’s, a doctor said the baby died from abusive head trauma resulting in brain damage.

In the criminal complaint, District Attorney Tyler Ingram said the state may seek the death penalty if O’Dell is convicted.

An arraignment date in district court is pending.

This article was originally published by ElkoDaily.com.

To learn more about me, please visit my website at www.ScottJuceam.com or you can click here.

October Trial Date Set For Man Accused In Baby’s Death

August 10, 2020August 12, 2020 ~ Scott Juceam ~ Leave a comment

A Marietta man accused of killing his 2-month-old son by shaking him is scheduled to go on trial in October in Washington County Common Pleas Court.

A grand jury indicted Michael A. Dawson Jr., 31, on murder and endangering-children charges on Aug. 5, following his arrest by Washington County authorities on July 26.

According to online court records, he pleaded not guilty during a hearing in Common Pleas Court on Aug. 6 and a trial was scheduled for Oct. 7.

Dawson remains in the Washington County Jail on a $500,000 bond.

UPDATE: 7/27/2020 2:05 P.M.

A Marietta man remains jailed on a murder charge after authorities said his 2-month-old baby died Sunday at a Columbus hospital of injuries apparently caused by his dad shaking him.

Deputies were called to 101 Longacre St., Marietta, on Thursday to investigate a report of a 2-month-old baby not breathing.

The baby, Gannon Dawson, was taken to Marietta Memorial Hospital and then flown to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, authorities said.

Wiggins also confirmed to detectives that the baby did not have any medical problems at birth.

Meanwhle, Dawson, according to the sheriff’s office, told detectives several times that he “never did anything to Gannon intentionally or just to be mean to him” and that he did not do anything intentionally to hurt his son.

ORIGINAL STORY: 7/27/20 11:19 A.M.

Sheriff Larry Mincks says an arrest has been made in a murder case in Washington County.

Mincks said a man was arrested Sunday in a case involving the death of a two- month-old child.

More details are to be released at a news conference Monday at 1 p.m.

This article was originally published by WTAP.com.

To learn more about me, please visit my website at www.ScottJuceam.com or you can click here.

Mom Of Shaken Baby Syndrome Survivor Speaks Out

July 31, 2020August 12, 2020 ~ Scott Juceam ~ Leave a comment

As a working-from-home mom of a special needs young adult, Carolyn Stinnett understands the deep divide between those who say COVID-19 has run its course and want businesses opened up and those who feel it’s way too early to make that call.

Stinnett, a Blount County resident, teaches at the Blount County campus of Pellissippi State Community College and has been instructing her students online for weeks, something she said takes so much longer to do versus being in person in a classroom. Her son, Corey Chandler, is a survivor of shaken baby syndrome, a 21-year-old graduate of William Blount High School who functions at the level of a 6- to 9-month-old because of his severe injuries. So worried that she will bring the virus into her home, the devoted mom hasn’t gone anywhere except on short walks and necessary appointments.

“Corey has not been out of the house except for walks in his chair in secluded areas since March 10,” Stinnett said. “The anxiety a mom of a medically fragile child feels during normal circumstances is high, but the fear of COVID-19 exposure has driven my worries through the roof. I clean constantly. I myself haven’t been inside a building — any building — since I taught my last on-campus class March 12. I worry about him contracting the virus and how hospitalization would work. Would I be able to stay with him in ICU?”

He is a fighter

Chandler graduated from WBHS in May 2019, but the months leading up to his special day were filled with health crisis. Between January and May last year, he was hospitalized four times with pneumonia and the flu. He has chronic lung disease, making him vulnerable to pneumonia and other problems.

Because of sleep apnea, Chandler must use an iVap and keeps a pulse oximeter machine on at all times to monitor his heart rate and oxygenation.

The list of strikes against Chandler is long. He required spinal fusion surgery when he was younger. Cerebral palsy, a side effect of shaken baby syndrome, caused muscles to torque around the inserted rods, which makes one side of Chandler’s back unaligned with the other. His lung on that same side is also compressed, making expansion difficult, Stinnett explained.

She adopted Chandler when he was just a baby. Chandler was shaken violently by one or both birth parents when he was just a month old, which caused irreparable brain damage. It was at least 24 hours after the injury before the baby was taken to the hospital.

According to the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome, there are 1,300 reported cases of shaken baby syndrome annually in the United States. About 25% of victims die, while 80% of those who survive have lifelong disabilities.

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, with the third week designated for Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness. Stinnett said she shares Chandler’s story in hopes of preventing someone else from destroying the life of a child with a 10-second mistake.

She said children are very vulnerable during quarantine. Adults and children are forced to wait it out 24/7 inside the home. Some parents have lost jobs or are working from home. Stress is through the roof in some instances.

Where stress can lead

“I would never wish what happened to Corey on another child, and while I wholeheartedly agree that the country should be sheltering in place until COVID-19 numbers show a sustained drop in cases, I do worry about children in homes where parents are stressed due to layoffs and money problems. Teachers normally provide a safety net because they see children every day during the school year and may be able to detect and report abuse in the early stages. Now, of course, students are sheltered at home so no one outside the family is able to keep track of their welfare. That is very scary.”

Marisa McPeck-Stringham is information and research specialist at the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome in Utah. She said the stress many are facing in this pandemic can lead to tragic mistakes.

“Stress is definitely a risk factor for shaken baby syndrome,” she said via phone. “When there is economic difficulty that includes job loss … we saw a rise in incidents during the last recession.”

McPeck-Stringham said it only takes seconds to inflict irreparable damage to a child. In severe cases like Corey’s immediate medical attention is critical. Some children experience a lower level of damage that might go undetected, she pointed out, only to be discovered later when the child has a seizure. While most have heard the term shaken baby syndrome, most doctors refer to it as inflicted head trauma, McPeck-Stringham pointed out. It is not just small infants who are the victims.

Who are our weak, defenseless?

A photo of a protestor in Nashville has made the rounds via social media. A sign read “Sacrifice the Weak; Reopen Tennessee.” Stinnett said she doesn’t know if the sign holder was referring to the elderly, disabled or medically fragile as the weak ones, but Chandler, she said, is a fighter.

“My son is one of the strongest people I know,” Stinnett said. “He functions as a 6- to 9-month old, all because he was shaken by birth parents. Few people could have made it 21½ years in Corey’s condition.”

There is a sign in Chandler’s room that sums it up: “A super hero lives here,” it states.

Ever since Chandler was a child, Stinnett has taken him with her to present at conferences on shaken baby syndrome. They have been to Salt Lake City, Atlanta and also Canada. They are set to attend a conference in September in Philadelphia, where Stinnett will talk about the challenges faced by children who survive shaken baby syndrome to age 21.

They no longer qualify for pediatric care and must find new doctors, Stinnett pointed out. Medications that were covered before age 21 are not after that. It is also more difficult to move and transport Chandler because of his size.

For all to see and know

“By presenting at conference, talking to various groups and giving information via newspaper or television interviews, our goal is prevention,” Stinnett said. “Corey was shaken at 1 month of age. His neck muscles were not developed and the violent back and forth motion of shaking causes internal trauma to the brain.”

Chandler had bruises on his chest where his chin struck during the violent shaking, Stinnett said. In addition, he also had bruises on his arms and a possible break where he was held tightly during the shaking.

“Most people’s nerves are on end during the pandemic,” the mom said. “A child’s crying can trigger shaking.”

Stinnett said adults should make sure the child doesn’t have some discomfort, such as a wet diaper and then put the child in a safe place, such as his or her bed, and walk away for a few minutes.

“No child ever died from crying,” she said. “But if a parent or caregiver loses his or her temper, or she may cause a child’s death or a lifetime of living with major health issues and permanent disabilities.”

McPeck-Stringham agreed, saying that crying is the No. 1 stimulus for abuse. Her organization provides educational programs to help parents cope in stressful situations. She said Stinnett is a great spokeswoman and hopes the conference in Philadelphia will take place as planned, with Stinnett in attendance.

“She is a wonderful mother and advocate,” McPeck-Stringham said.

This article was originally published by TheDailyTimes.com.

To learn more about me, please visit my website at www.ScottJuceam.com or you can click here.

The Dangers Of Shaken Baby Syndrome

July 20, 2020July 22, 2020 ~ Scott Juceam ~ Leave a comment

Due to COVID-19 a lot of things have transitioned from in-person to online.

That includes parenting classes at the Family Guidance Center of Lubbock.

One of those classes focuses on the dangers of Shaken Baby Syndrome and the real life visuals still make a big impact inside a classroom or online.

The class uses robotic babies that cry.

“The class is really how to help the baby cope with that crying how can we get it to stop crying and if that doesn’t work the importance of setting the baby down and separating yourself from the baby,” explained instructor Kim Vann.

They have clear skulls so when they are shaken you can see the impact that makes on their tiny brains and what that specific part functions.

“The reason why we take these into the schools and our parenting programs we love the impact of the clear skull,” Vann explained. “And so with that you can see the importance of brain function. So where each section of the brain is highlighted those are what your brain controls. So when we shake the baby you’ll see the lights turn on and that’s the part of the brain that has been damaged from that. And when the baby stops crying that is severe damage possibly even death.”

Vann says the class is also helpful for parents to know that they’re not alone in the stress of parenthood.

“Just realizing you’re not by yourself, realizing this is my third child and this one is different and this is real and you’re not the only one going through that,” Vann said.

The class is free for anyone and offered virtually through Zoom.

You can register on the Family Guidance Center of Lubbock’s website.

This article was originally published by EverythingLubbock.com.

To learn more about me, please visit my website at www.ScottJuceam.com or you can click here.

Stevens Point-area Man Charged in SBS Death

July 8, 2020July 22, 2020 ~ Scott Juceam ~ Leave a comment

A 34-year-old Plover man is being held on a $50,000 cash bond in connection with the death of his girlfriend’s infant son, a death health officials are attributing to shaken baby syndrome.

Meyer Willkom, of Plover, appeared Tuesday in Portage County Circuit Court, where he faces recommended charges of first-degree reckless homicide.

Prosecutors say the 7-month-old child died June 20 after suffering a subdural hemorrhage consistent with a head injury and shaken baby syndrome.

During a hearing Tuesday in Portage County Circuit Court, Judge Thomas Flugaur set bond and ordered Willkom not to have any contact with the boy’s mother. Willkom is also prohibited from having unsupervised contact with any child.

Police and prosecutors say Willkom was caring for the child when he died.

Future court appearances for Willkom were not immediately available Tuesday.

This article was originally published by WaUSAUpilotandreview.com.

To learn more about me, please visit my website at www.ScottJuceam.com or you can click here.

Pensacola Man Admits To Shaking Baby

June 29, 2020July 2, 2020 ~ Scott Juceam ~ Leave a comment

A Pensacola man admitted to law enforcement that he shook a baby for eight to 10 seconds inducing shaken baby syndrome — causing brain hemorrhages, leading to seizures and necessitating the boy’s intubation.

Joe Gesse, 24, was arrested Tuesday morning, charged with aggravated child abuse and booked into the Escambia County Jail without a chance for bond.

Gesse admitted to Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigators to shaking a baby left in his care by the boy’s mother when she went to work, according to his arrest report.

The child’s mother went to work from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. June 6, she told investigators. Before she left, her boy was “a little fussy” but not acting unusual, and she asked Gesse to look after her son while she was gone.

When she returned from work, the mother noticed the baby was not at all his normally-playful self but was fussy the whole night and did not sleep between Saturday night and Sunday morning.

She called her own mother for advice, who suggested that the boy was probably experiencing pain caused by teething and recommended putting a small amount of Orajel on his gums. However, “the baby continued to not act right,” the report stated.

Her son’s pediatrician told her to take her baby to the emergency room, and a CT scan revealed hemorrhaging in the baby’s brain that medical experts believe was caused by trauma.

A doctor at Sacred Heart Hospital informed the mother that because her baby was “consistently having seizures,” he would have to be put into a medically induced coma and placed on a ventilator.

A physician later explained to ECSO investigators that the baby’s injuries were consistent with shaken baby syndrome as if someone had shook “him causing his brain to repeatedly hit the inside of his skull, which can cause sever brain damage or death,” the report stated.

Gesee later admitted to shaking the baby for 8 to ten seconds when the boy had been left in his care.

The child was weaned out of the medically-induced coma over the span of a few days and appeared to have moderate brain activity. At the time Gesse’s arrest report was written, it was “unknown what long-term disabilities” the baby would have from his injuries.

County records indicated that Geese remained in custody Tuesday afternoon.

This article was originally published by PNJ.com.

To learn more about me, please visit my website at www.ScottJuceam.com or you can click here.