Just over a week ago, a Florida mother was arrested for the death of her 13-month old son. The boy suffered traumatic injuries that were indicative of shaken baby syndrome. He was pronounced brain-dead after being transported to the hospital.
The mother, Neidy Mendez-Gudine, first claimed that she placed her son on her bed while she attended to her other children. After 15 minutes, she found the boy on the floor “choking and not breathing”. She called 911 and her son was “airlifted Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando”. After the boy had passed, doctors performed an autopsy and discovered the boy “had two fractures on his skull and subdural hemorrhaging at the top of his skull, spine and in his neck”. The doctors explained that a fall from a bed would not cause these kinds of injuries.
After investigating the incident more, police spoke with a witness who “thought Mendez-Gudine threw the baby”. It was also confirmed that Mendez-Gudine was alone with her children when she called 911. She has been charged with “one count aggravated child abuse and one count manslaughter”. It was not reported whether she is out on bail or if she has a court date.
Some parents worry that they might accidentally “shake” their babies while playing with them. Especially with young infants, it is important to support their heads and necks because they simply don’t have the strength to do it themselves. However, shaken baby syndrome is caused by violent, intentional shaking and not by being playful. And while parents should take every precaution to present their children from falling off of chairs, couches, and beds, they do not need to live in fear that every little fall can lead to something deadly. Being cautious and aware of where their baby is will be enough.
The majority of shaken baby syndrome cases are derived from an adult becoming angry with a baby. Sometimes when a baby won’t stop crying or needs a lot of attention, parents or caregivers lose their patience and become aggressive with the baby. They feel the need to get their baby’s attention, but when a baby won’t listen to their voice, they make the mistake of becoming physical. This is what leads to serious injuries and in some cases, death.
Even though it is difficult to do in the moment, parents and caregivers should try to calm themselves down if they become upset with a baby. Instead of taking their frustration out on a baby, they can put the baby in a safe place, such as their crib or buckled into a swing, and give themselves a couple of minutes to breathe. If they have a neighbour or friend who could come over to watch the baby, that can also reduce the chance of an accident. Taking the proper steps to ensure a baby is safe makes all the difference in their lives.
Sources: ABCActionNews, National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome