Uh-oh: Shaken Baby Syndrome

[Just_A_Guy]

It's looking like an awful lot of innocent people may have gone to jail for deaths due to Shaken Baby Syndrome.

[pam]

Sounds like it to me as well. Interesting article.

[NeuroTypical]

Each of our kids has had at least one black eye each, due to various falls and whatnot. We used to have a lot of fun taking our kids out in public and counting the nasty looks people would shoot us. Because as everybody knows, the only way you get a black eye is if mommy or daddy hits you.

[pam]

I do remember once taking my son to the doctor because of a black eye. I was actually interrogated (well it felt like it anyways). I understand their reasoning behind it and I can appreciate it. Just made me feel like I was being looked at as a possible child abuser.

[Generally_Me]

Interesting article...I feel for the caretakers that have been called liars and murderers, but have KNOWN they did not shake the babies, all this time...

[pam]

Not necessarily that they didn't shake the babies...but that shaking them didn't necessarily cause their deaths.

[ryanh]

AND those that did not shake the babies. Per the latest understanding, it may have happened many hours before the child dies. With the misconception that it must have been the person present at time of death that did the shaking, there invariably are some (many?) that were wrongly accused and convicted even though they didn't shake the baby.

I once did some work on a SBS non-profit organization. The vindictiveness and aggression of the activists there always made me uncomfortable. I really liked the education and awareness campaigns, but the nature of how they approached prosecution support always bugged me. I think I understand a little better now why it bugged me.

Wrongful convictions really upset me.

[pam]

I agree with that ryan. Perhaps I should have expanded on my comment. My thoughts were that isn't necessarily true that someone didn't shake the baby..but that person may not have been the cause of what actually killed the baby to begin with. It has always just been assumed that the person that shook the baby is the one responsible. Hopefully that makes my thoughts a little clearer.

[Traveler]

This should shake things up a bit.

Just as a side note. It is my belief that society has an obligation to be as just as is possible with the evidence. That does not mean that our system should be above mistakes. We must do the best we can – which means I believe we need to reconsider some convictions.

As parents we must do the best we can. I was a child hard to raise. I remember once getting a spanking for something a neighbor claimed they saw me doing. Well the neighbor had made a mistake of identity because this time it really was not me and I was getting a licking for it. I pleaded with my mother making my case for innocence. But it did not help. She just responded that if I was innocent this time; then my spanking was for the times that I had gotten off by shifted the blame to someone else. I remember taking my spanking thinking that it was just and wondering how she knew I had done that. Lucky for the world I had parents that knew their child and that I learned better before becoming an adult and being elected president or something.

The Traveler

[lestertheemt]

I think the key point in the article is this: "The task will be convincing both the courts and the public to risk freeing actual child killers in order to free the innocent people convicted with flawed medical testimony."

[talisyn]

I think the key point in the article is this: "The task will be convincing both the courts and the public to risk freeing actual child killers in order to free the innocent people convicted with flawed medical testimony."

Indeed, that is a big task. As Annewandering said before, and I'm paraphrasing, what family member do you want falsely convicted by wrong information in order to keep the real criminals in jail?

[annewandering]

I am not willing to sacrifice my family to this. Not anyone elses either.

[Traveler]

I am not willing to sacrifice my family to this. Not anyone elses either.

What would you sacrifice your family for?

The Traveler

[ADoyle90815]

Topping to hide political discussion that is now against board rules.