National Shaken Baby Coalition

Investigating SBS Cases

1. Retain & review all 911 tapes.
2. Reconstruct the activities of the suspects & victim on the day of incident.
3. The child may have been sick, recently received shots.
4. Suspect may have experienced an unusually difficult day
5. Determine the triggering event.
6. Crying, spiting up, feeding or toilet problems.

Top 10 Reasons
It Is Tough To Get Convictions

Common Perpetrator's Lies:
The Dirty Dozen

10. Failure to understand non-accidental vs. inflicted trauma and its medical significance
9. General public perception that care givers couldn’t do such a terrible thing.
8. Lack of general public understanding of the dangers of shaking a baby.
7.Investigative failure to document all statements made by the care giver about the infant’s condition.
6. Failure to reduce complex medical evidence introduced through a variety of experts, to terms that laypersons can understand.
5. Inadequate laws to respond to seriousness of Shaken Baby Syndrome.
4. Lack of training and familiarity with research being performed in the field.
3. Failure to collaborate between disciplines to learn all we can from each other.
2. Failure to assist prevention efforts & public education campaigns.
#1 REASON
Accepting as adequate a clearly insufficient explanation for a baby’s injuries

1.Child fell from a low height (less than 4 feet), such as couch, crib, bed or chair.
2. Child fell and struck head on floor or furniture, or hard object fell on child.
3. Unexpectedly found dead (age and/or circumstances not appropriate for sudden infant death syndrome).
4. Child choked while eating and was therefore shaken or struck on the chest or back.
5. Child suddenly turned blue or stopped breathing, and was then shaken.
6. Sudden seizure activity.
7.Aggressive or inexperienced resuscitation efforts to a child who suddenly stopped breathing.
8. Alleged traumatic event 1 day or more before death.
9. Caretaker tripped or slipped while carrying child.
10. Injury inflicted by sibling.
11. Child left alone in dangerous situation (e.g., bathtub) for just a few minutes
12. Child fell down stairs
From:
Child Abuse:Medical Diagnosis and Management by Dr. Robert Reece
Chapter 14; “Fatal Child Abuse: The Pathologist’s Perspective: By Dr. Robert H. Kirschner and Dr. Harry L. Wilson

Truth About the Couch

Injuries to children who fall off the couch:

80% No Injury
18% Single bruise lump or cut
1% Simple Linear skull fracture
1% Fresh fracture on collarbone or upper arm
The fact is, children do NOT suffer subdural hematomas, retinal hemorrhages, axonial shearing, or other life threatening injuries from falling off couches, beds or other short distances.
Interviewing the Suspect

Interviewer should be non-confrontational & non-accusatory.
Choose words carefully.
Avoid terms which imply criminal culpability, guilt, or charges.
Ask in general terms, “If anyone shook the baby?”
Refer to the incident as an accident, situation, or unfortunate occurrence.

Recording Evidence

Photograph & videotape all rooms where the child has been; record areas/items involved in the impact.
Measure the distance between the surface from which the child “fell” to the floor. (Note any carpet, carpet padding, textures on floor, patterns on flooring etc.)
Take appropriate measurements; observations should be made regarding direction of travel, and composition of the counter & flooring.
Lawfully seize suspected blood & other fluid stains.
Look for a freshly soiled diaper or cereal splattered on a high chair or hall. This may have been the final frustrating incident immediately preceding the shaking.
Seize trace evidence (hair, blood, fibers, body fluids, paint chips, fragments, etc.) as these items may directly affirm or negate the presenting history.
Look for any other special problems associated with the care & nurturing of the victim.
The caretaker will often become less cooperative as the investigation continues & intensifies.
The severity of the accident is grossly minimized by the perpetrator.
The perp will often reverse the true order of events.
The perp may explain the events by stating the child “FELL OFF THE COUCH”
Other Advice for Law Enforcement and Investigators
The police officer or CPS investigator should identify and empathize with the caretaker to build rapport. He/she must not be confrontational with the caretaker; this cuts off the flow of informationonce hostility is perceived.
It is especially valuable for the police officer to speak about possible triggering events which demonstrate that other people can become frustrated with the behavior of children. Use personal examples.
A plastic or rubber doll approximately thesame size as a baby can be a fantasticinvestigational tool. Have the suspect demonstrate what happened to the child through the use of the doll. The doll is not animated and quickly becomes depersonalized from the suspect.
Use of the doll more specifically demonstratesthe suspect’s version of events. Often the suspect will relive the events and the frustration