Parents on Trial in Newborn Death: Doctors Suspect Abuse
Hong Kong – May 8, 2024 –
A Bangladeshi couple faces trial in Hong Kong, charged with murder and child abuse relating to the death of their infant son. The case centres on medical evidence indicating that Iyman’s injuries were consistent with shaken baby syndrome. the parents deny the charges. Experts, including paediatricians and neurosurgeons, have testified, raising crucial questions about the cause of the baby’s injuries. further developments in the trial are anticipated.
Parents on Trial in Newborn Death: Doctors Suspect Abuse
A Bangladeshi couple is facing trial in Hong Kong, accused of murder and child abuse in connection with the death of their one-month-old son, Hossain Iyman. The parents have denied the charges. The case, which has drawn important attention, hinges on medical testimony suggesting the infant’s injuries were consistent with abuse, specifically “shaken baby syndrome.”
The Tragic Timeline
- July 2019: Hossain Iyman is born. He has a 22-month-old brother.
- August 24, 2019: Iyman is admitted to Caritas Hospital and than transferred to the Pediatric Intensive Treatment Department of Margaret Hospital.
- August 30, 2019: Iyman dies at just 53 days old.
Expert Medical Testimony: Brain Trauma and Shaking
The prosecution presented testimony from Dr. Huang Ruitao, a brain neurosurgeon at Tuen Mun Hospital, who stated that Iyman had suffered severe brain trauma. Dr. Huang identified acute subdural hemorrhage and multiple cortical traumas, indicating bleeding between the skull and the brain.
Dr. Huang explained the significance of the bleeding’s location:
as yiwen’s brain bleeding location is relatively wide and close to the center of the brain, it is indeed consistent with the situation where he was repeatedly shaken.
Dr. Huang Ruitao, Brain Neurosurgeon
Furthermore, Dr. Huang noted the presence of “diffusal axonal injury,” damage to nerve fibers in the brain. this type of injury, he explained, is caused by severe acceleration, deceleration, or rotation of the brain, leading to nerve damage and possibly coma.
Regarding Iyman’s prognosis, Dr.Huang stated:
(At that time) the brain situation was quite bad… Even if the patient arrived earlier in the hospital, we couldn’t control his brain pressure, so I think it couldn’t be saved.
Dr. Huang Ruitao, Brain Neurosurgeon
Did you know?
Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS), also known as abusive head trauma, is a severe form of child abuse that can cause permanent brain damage or death. It typically occurs when a caregiver violently shakes an infant or young child.
The parents claimed that Iyman’s injuries were accidental, caused by their eldest son dropping a phone on the baby and jumping from a suitcase onto him. However, Dr. Huang dismissed this explanation, stating that such incidents would likely cause skull fractures, which were not present in iyman’s case. If to cause the trauma I see, talking about the substrandal hemorrhage, I think there is no possibility of not fractured,
Dr. Huang testified.
Concerns Over Negligent Care
dr. Chen Fengying, an honorary associate professor of pediatrics at the Medical College of CUHK and associate consultant of pediatrics at Wells Hospital, raised concerns about the parents’ care of Iyman. She noted that Iyman’s weight gain was significantly below the standard level, indicating a lack of proper feeding.BB is already very thin,no long meat,
she observed,reflecting the lack of mother’s feeding.
Dr. Chen also pointed to the parents’ response to Iyman’s fever:
If there is a fever, a pediatrician’s golden family, we consider it a serious bacterial infection, and unless there are other reasons to prove not.
Dr.Chen Fengying, Associate Consultant of Pediatrics
She criticized their decision to delay seeking medical attention and rather purchase a thermometer. Furthermore, Dr. Chen highlighted the parents’ apparent lack of discipline towards their eldest son, who they claimed had injured Iyman. 22-month-month brothers do some of their (righteous parents) believe that the wrong act, but they are still encouraged by applause and asks him to continue to do. I think their discipline is very easy… worry about whether negligence care, especially in medical negligence care,
she stated.
“Shaking Infant Syndrome”
Dr. Chen concluded that Iyman’s injuries were highly suggestive of “shaking infant syndrome.” She pointed to the subdural hemorrhage, hypoxic cerebral lesions, rib fractures, and thigh fractures as key indicators. Can not find any other can explain,
she said regarding the rib fractures.
She explained that the rib fractures, especially those near the spine, are rare in young children and are frequently enough associated with abuse.If this occurs in young children under 3 years old and incapable of mobility, 95% of the cases are related to abuse, and the remaining 5% may be young children or have congenital bone disease. If the young child does not have any bone diseases, 100% of them are child abuse cases,
Dr. Chen testified.
Pro Tip
Always seek immediate medical attention if your child experiences a fever, especially if they are very young.Early intervention can prevent serious complications.
The thigh fracture, according to Dr. Chen, also pointed to “shaking baby syndrome” because it required a great pull of pull
to cause such an injury. She theorized that the shaking motion caused the chest to be squeezed, leading to rib fractures, while the thighs suffered pressure, resulting in the fracture.
Dr. Chen believes that Iyman was likely shaken violently, causing brain bleeding, rib fractures, and a thigh fracture. All these symptoms, she said, are consistent with “shaking baby syndrome” and child abuse.
The Accused
The defendants,HOSSAIN Md. Imran, 33, and AKTER Mrs. Farzana, 29, are both unemployed. They are charged with murder and brutal treatment of children. The charges allege that they killed Hossain Iyman on August 30, 2019, and that between August 8 and 24, they deliberately attacked, abused, and neglected Iyman in a manner likely to cause him unneeded health damage.
