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Shaken baby syndrome—what convicted perpetrators report

Schütteltrauma – was verurteilte Täter berichten

Rechtsmedizin volume 28, pages 514–517 (2018)Cite this article

Abstract

Shaken baby syndrome (SBS) is a well-known phenomenon in the field of forensic and pediatric experts; however, there are difficulties and controversies when it comes to biomechanical reconstruction as neither experimental studies nor independent witnesses exist. A possible source of information comes from perpetrators’ confessions if available. We present two cases of confirmed SBS, where one includes a broad confession and the other contains an interview with the perpetrator who confessed to the crime. Both perpetrators reported similar social environmental situations (overwhelmed by crying children) and similar descriptions of how the child was handled (hands on both sides of the thorax, shaken back and forth). Both children ceased crying after being shaken and died despite medical treatment for the injuries.

Zusammenfassung

Das Schütteltrauma („shaken baby syndrome“ [SBS]) ist ein bekanntes Phänomen in der forensischen und pädiatrischen Expertengemeinschaft. Es gibt jedoch Schwierigkeiten und Kontroversen bei der biomechanischen Rekonstruktion, da es weder experimentelle Studien noch unabhängige Zeugen gibt. Eine mögliche Informationsquelle sind die Geständnisse der Täter, sofern vorhanden. Wir stellen 2 Fälle von bestätigtem SBS vor. Der eine beinhaltet ein „breites Geständnis“, der andere ein Interview mit dem geständigen Täter. Beide Täter berichteten über ähnliche soziale Umweltsituationen (überwältigt von weinenden Kindern) und ähnliche Beschreibungen, wie das Kind behandelt wurde (Hände auf beiden Seiten des Brustkorbs, hin und her geschüttelt). Beide Kinder hörten nach dem Schütteln auf zu weinen und starben trotz medizinischer Behandlung an ihren Verletzungen.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr. rer. nat. June Mercer-Chalmers-Bender for editorial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Legal Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Melatengürtel 60/62, 50823, Cologne, Germany

    K. Feld, S. Banaschak & M. A. Rothschild

  2. Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical Faculty, University of Marburg, Schützenstraße 49, 35039, Marburg, Germany

    H. Remschmidt

Authors
  1. K. Feld
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  2. S. Banaschak
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  3. H. Remschmidt
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  4. M. A. Rothschild
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Correspondence to K. Feld.

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Conflict of interest

K. Feld, S. Banaschak, H. Remschmidt and M.A. Rothschild declare that they have no competing interests.

This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors. Informed consent was obtained from all patients identifiable from images or other information within the manuscript. In the case of underage patients, consent was obtained from a parent or legal guardian.

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Feld, K., Banaschak, S., Remschmidt, H. et al. Shaken baby syndrome—what convicted perpetrators report. Rechtsmedizin 28, 514–517 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00194-018-0276-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00194-018-0276-0

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