Shaking incident in Vienna: Parents due to severe child abuse in custody

Shaking incident in Vienna: Parents due to severe child abuse in custody

In Vienna, a 35-year-old German and a 38-year-old Croatian citizen were arrested on Wednesday evening after her nine-week child was taken to hospital with serious injuries. The parents had brought the girl because of a seizure, but medical examinations showed the suspicion of serious abuse that endangered the child's life. The parents were arrested around 8:30 p.m. in the hospital, where doctors found numerous serious injuries to the infant who made emergency operation necessary.

In the medical diagnosis of the doctors, it is assumed that the child's injuries may be due to shaking trauma. vienna.at reports that this can cause devastating brain violations or even lifelong consequential damage. The police and the hospital immediately filed a complaint and the parents refused to testify so that they were taken into custody by order of the public prosecutor. The child and youth welfare took care of the child.

shaking trauma and its consequences

shaking trauma, also known as "Shaken Baby Syndrome", is a serious form of child abuse, which is often underestimated. This arises from a violent shaking of a baby or toddler and can lead to serious injuries in the brain, from slight conceals of the brain to serious brain bleeding. Infants up to six months are particularly susceptible, since their neck muscles are still very weak, as Franziska Zedler explained.

background and prevention

The incidents in Vienna reflect a widespread problem: child abuse occurs worldwide, as the World Health Organization . Abuse includes both physical and sexual abuse and neglect. Such abuse often goes hand in hand with other social problems, such as mental illnesses or drug abuse of caregivers. In Austria and other parts of Europe there are growing concerns that the existing measures to protect children are inadequate.

prevention is crucial. The education about the dangers of shaking and alternative calming methods should help prevent such tragedies. Support of advice centers and a strong public awareness are necessary to minimize the risk of children and to sensitize potential perpetrators.

The current investigations in the case of the injured infant in Vienna show in an impressive way how urgently the topic of child abuse is and what consequences this can bring with it for those affected.