Satawa Law recently has won another Title IX hearing, as the office for title 9 and institutional equity at University in Western Michigan “unanimously determined that the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that the responded engaged in sexual assault or sexual harassment.”Read More

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 Satawa Law, PLLC

Shaken Baby Syndrome

What Is Shaken Baby Syndrome?

Your child had a seizure, and has been rushed to the hospital. The medical staff is telling you your child was abused, and start asking you about shaken baby syndrome (SBS) or abusive head trauma (AHT). What is it? To over simplify, it basically means that the shaking of a child (without impact) can cause a triad of injuries: retinal hemorrhages, subdural hematomas, and edema (or brain swelling). Child abuse “doctors” will then opine that those three symptoms, when seen together, are diagnostic of abuse – to the exclusion any other possible cause. SBS relies on several assumptions: 1) short distance falls cannot cause a severe or fatal injury; 2) chronic subdural hematomas do not re-bleed spontaneously with no or very little trauma; 3) a child suffering from a serious head injury cannot experience a lucid interval between the inception of the injuries and the baby’s seizure or arrest; and that 5) and Retinal Hemorrhages and subdural hematomas are exclusively diagnostic of non- accidental trauma, or abuse. The main problem? It is total BS. SBS or AHT is not science, or based on science. It is junk, pure and simple. Filled with confirmation bias, anecdote as “proof,” false assumptions, and lacking testing by the scientific method. Satawa Law, protecting your rights, and defending your future.

www.protectingyourfuture.info. But that is not the full story. Many other causes can mimic Shaken Baby Syndrome, such as normal childhood accidents or falls. Short distance falls as short as 18 inches have cause subdural hematomas and retinal hemorrhages. As many as 70% of vaginal births have subdurals, and while many resolve on their own within 30 days, some do not heal and become chronic. Chronic subdural hematomas can and do re-bleed spontaneously with little or no little trauma. An injured child with a serious head injury can experience a lucid interval of as long as 24 or even 48 hours before having a seizure and developing symptoms. Even something as harmless as Vaccinations can cause shaken baby like symptoms. Most often, the person who was caring for the child immediately prior to the presenting symptoms will be the person accused, although they may have done absolutely nothing wrong. The criminal defense lawyers at Satawa Law are committed to defending those who have been wrongfully accused of child abuse in conjunction with Shaken Baby Syndrome.

All Consultations are confidential and completely no-obligation to you. We serve Southfield, Oakland County, metro Detroit, and the entire State of Michigan.

What Could Happen If I am Charged With SBS?

Your entire future is at stake if you have been charged with shaking your child, or a child in your care and causing injury, permanent injury or death. You could lose custody of your child or even have your parental rights terminated, and you could face criminal charges which come with severe penalties. Depending on the extent of the child’s injuries, you could be charged with child abuse, or, if the child dies, you could conceivably be charged with manslaughter or even murder.

What to Do If You Have Been Charged with SBS

CPS will almost certainly become involved, and if you want to avoid ending up in prison with a permanent criminal record, you need the most experienced attorneys in your corner who have studied the immense—and most recent– bodies of research on the subject of shaken baby syndrome. While the “experts” may assume that a child who presents with retinal hemorrhaging, brain swelling or subdural hematomas has most certainly been a victim of shaken baby syndrome, this is not true or accurate information. For this reason, a trial in which the defendant is charged with SBS will most certainly have lots of experts testifying on both sides. You want to ensure that your attorney has the contacts necessary to hire an ethical and skilled expert to testify on your behalf. The criminal defense firm of Satawa Law has the necessary contacts and experience.

Contact Satawa Law

If you have been charged with shaken baby syndrome, it is very important that you contact an attorney immediately, and that you not speak with the police until your lawyer arrives. Many times statements you make can be taken out of context and later used against you. Of course you will be upset and you will naturally want to proclaim your innocence to law enforcement or CPS, however for your own protection, you should not talk to anyone until you have retained an experienced attorney.

The attorneys at Satawa Law will give you the very most aggressive defense available during these difficult times. We understand that you may be angry at being falsely accused, heartbroken over the injuries to your child, and frustrated that nobody seems to believe you did not harm your child. We will be there for you, and will handle all communication between law enforcement and CPS.

Speak With Us & Request A Confidential Consultation

If you have been arrested or accused of sexual assault, our team of lawyers are ready to help defend your rights and protect your future. We understand the life-changing nature of these types of allegations. We never judge or assume; rather, we immediately start to try and determine the best way to win that case. We do that while providing our clients with the empathetic and compassionate guidance they need to get through this difficult time.

We have won the majority of the many cases we have defended at trial, and can use our extensive experience and expertise to help you as well. Do not wait for the police or prosecutors to make the first move. Speak with our Southfield defense team now, and allow us to put our knowledge, skill, and expertise to good use.

The Best Defense Strategy Is An Aggressive Offense

Simply put, we are not afraid to take on prosecutors. We know that a relentless, effective, and well-thought out defense strategy will be critical to the success of a case. Because we always prepare every case extensively from the very beginning of our representation, we can offer persuasive rebuttals to any allegations brought by the Prosecution. We developed a multi-disciplinary approach, using a team of professionals to investigate and prepare our defense – experts, psychologists, lawyers, trial consultants, investigators, and jury consultants to prepare our client and our case for trial. We employ mock trials, practice direct and cross examinations, focus groups, client reenactments, and interview every possible witness to leave no trial stone unturned, and put the case in the best position to be won. When falsely accused of a crime, we demand that our clients to be treated fairly and equally by the justice system. We defend their rights, and protect their future.

Mark Satawa

Call Today For Your Free Case Strategy Session
(248) 509-0056