Parents in court: severely abused baby suffers from brain damage

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Parents of a baby abused in Vienna charged: serious injuries, impending trial, presumption of innocence.

Eltern eines in Wien misshandelten Babys angeklagt: schwerste Verletzungen, bevorstehender Prozess, Unschuldsvermutung gilt.
Parents of a baby abused in Vienna charged: serious injuries, impending trial, presumption of innocence.

Parents in court: severely abused baby suffers from brain damage

On June 3, 2025, charges were brought against the parents of an allegedly abused baby in Vienna. The newborn girl, just nine weeks old, suffered severe brain injuries and was taken to hospital in critical condition. The Vienna public prosecutor's office confirmed that the parents were charged with attempted murder, which is a particularly serious charge in such a case.

The investigation, which began on December 20, 2024, quickly led to dramatic results. The baby was taken to the hospital on the orders of doctors and, in addition to cerebral hemorrhages and retinal hemorrhages, also had bridging vein thrombosis. While the parents claimed that the child had injured himself on a cell phone, a forensic report revealed that these injuries were due to shaken baby syndrome.

Accusation and psychological context

The prosecution sees the father (26 years old) as the direct perpetrator. He is accused of shaking the daughter at least twice. The mother (24 years old) is accused of being an accomplice because she is said to have known about the attacks. Both parents come from Syria and are currently in custody. Due to imminent danger, her three other children were taken into care by the Vienna Child and Youth Welfare Department (MA 11), with temporary custody being taken over.

Assessing child endangerment is a complex topic. According to information from destatis.de Statistics distinguish between four types of child endangerment: neglect, physical abuse, psychological abuse and sexual violence. In this case it is clearly physical abuse.

Consequences and reactions

The little girl survived the serious injuries, but suffered irreversible brain damage and now has to be fed through a stomach tube. The charges are not yet legally binding and the parents are presumed innocent until the court has finally clarified the matter.

This case once again highlights the issue of child protection and the need to protect children in potentially dangerous circumstances. Loud orf.at It is crucial to intervene early to prevent anything worse from happening. Society is faced with the challenge of how to avoid such tragedies in the future.