Parents in court: Solid abused baby suffers from brain damage

Parents in court: Solid abused baby suffers from brain damage

Wien, Österreich - On June 3, 2025, the indictment against the parents of a presumably abused baby in Vienna was raised. The newborn girl, just nine weeks old, suffered serious brain injuries and was hospitalized in a critical condition. The Vienna public prosecutor's office confirmed that the parents were charged with attempted murder, which in such a case is a particularly serious accusation.

The investigation that started on December 20, 2024 quickly led to dramatic results. The baby came to the hospital at the instructions of doctors and, in addition to brain bleeding and bleeding in the retina, also showed bridge vein thrombosis. While the parents claimed that the child had injured a cell phone, a forensic medical report showed that these injuries are due to shaking trauma.

indictment and psychological context

The indictment sees the father (26 years) as an immediate perpetrator. He is accused of shaking the daughter at least twice. The mother (24 years) is charged as a premium because she is said to have known about the attacks. Both parents come from Syria and are currently in custody. Her three other children were taken into care from Vienna's child and youth welfare (MA 11) due to danger in default, with the provisional custody being taken over.

The assessment of child welfare is a complex topic. According to information from destatis.de distinguish the statistics four types of child welfare: neglect, physical abuse and sexual violence. In this case it is clearly physical abuse.

consequences and reactions

The little girl survived the serious injuries, but has suffered irreversible brain damage and must now be fed through a gastric tube. The indictment is not yet final, and the presumption of innocence applies to the parents until the final clarification.

This case once again highlights the topic of child protection and the need to protect children in potentially endangering conditions. According to orf.at it is crucial that it is intervened early to prevent worse. Society faces the challenge of how to avoid such tragedies in the future.